Eagles Soar Past Windward in Delphic League Finale

Going into the last game of the regular season, Brentwood School's varsity baseball team knew the Delphic League race was not quite over. The door was open for Windward to tie the Eagles for the title with a road victory.   

Brentwood was not in a generous mood, though, and left no doubt which is the best team this season with an 11-1 win in five innings Thursday that completed a sweep of the home-and-home series against the Wildcats on Senior Day.

"Who wants to share? That's like kissing your sister," said second-year Coach Greg Fowble, whose team completed a remarkable turnaround by going undefeated in league after not winning a league game last year. "We just wanted to play our game and not think about losing."

The Eagles (15-2 overall, 8-0 in League) scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning off Windward's Michael Huettner and although the Wildcats crept within 3-1 in the third, it could have been a lot worse.

Tanner Savitsky hit the ball hard up the middle for what looked like a certain single, but shortstop David Rosenthal made a diving stop and flipped to second for an out. Windward (12-12, 6-2) scored on the play, but two pitches later a runner was thrown out trying to steal second to end the inning and Windward never threatened again.

"That was a fantastic play by David [Rosenthal]," Brentwood starting pitcher Evan Abraham said. "I got pumped. Our team has really come together throughout the season. Everyone is contributing and that was a great example."

Abraham walked, stole second and then scored on a base hit for a 4-1 lead and another base hit increased the Eagles' lead to 5-1 in the bottom of the third. Brentwood put the game out of reach by plating six runs in the fourth, highlighted by a home run to deep center field by catcher Kyle Hinshaw. 

"I needed the ball on Senior Day," said Abraham, who had pitched three and one third innings in relief to pick up the victory in Brentwood's 4-3 win at Windward on Tuesday. "I was a little sore but adrenaline got me through it."

Hinshaw went three for three with a run scored and four RBIs and Abraham added one hit, two runs and three RBIs. Abraham allowed one hit and one run with four strikeouts in four innings before handing over a 10-run lead to Jacob Charms, who retired Windward in order in the top of the fifth to bring an end to the contest via the 10-run mercy rule.

"We did our job in league, now we just have to wait and see where we get seeded," Fowble said. "You want to be playing your best going into the playoffs and right now we're playing well."

Brentwood closed the regular season with four straight wins. The Eagles began the week ranked No. 10 in the CIF Southern Section Division 6 poll.