Sports

Darton drops Game 1

• ABAC puts Darton on the ropes as the Cavaliers’ chances of reaching next week’s Region XVII Tournament are one loss from expiring altogether.

Matt Stewart

ALBANY —Abraham Baldwin pitcher Carey Belter is what some might call effectively wild.

Darton College found that out Friday in the opener of a three-game series to determine the fourth seed in next week’s NJCAA Region XVII Tournament.

Belter walked three and hit four Cavaliers’ batters, but gave up just four hits in a complete-game effort that earned the Stallions’ a 4-3 win.

Belter allowed the three Cavs’ runs all in the third inning, but settled down and gave up just one hit, a bunt single, over the final six innings while throwing 118 pitches.

“He threw strikes, making his pitches, hitting his spots,” Cavs sophomore center fielder Montoya Young said. “He shut us down the last time (we faced him) and he shut us down this time.”

ABAC’s win puts the pressure on Darton to win the second game of the play-in series if the Cavs are to advance to the region tournament May 9-11. Game 2 of the series begins today at 2 p.m. at Darton College. If necessary, the final game of the series will be Sunday at the same time.

“We gotta bring it (today),” Young said. “If not, we’re going home early.”

Darton’s starting pitcher Taylor Whitenton exited Friday’s game after throwing seven innings and allowing three runs, with two earned on eight hits. Whitenton walked four and struck out one, leaving with the game knotted at 3-3.

ABAC’s Richard Hudson led off the eighth inning with a single to left field off Cavs’ reliever Norman Valentin and then stole second. Stallions catcher Brent Turner followed with a high choppper that bounced over Darton third baseman Levi Futo’s head, scoring Hudson for the eventual winning run.

Earlier, Futo had a two-run single in the third and then scored on designated hitter Chris Ramos’ single to give Darton a 3-1 lead.

But the Cavs (25-28) struggled late in the game to deliver timely hits with runners in scoring position.

“I just think that we were a little tight at the plate,” Darton head coach Glenn Eames said. “We hit a few balls right at guys. Late in the game we had guys in scoring position and couldn’t get hits.”

That hasn’t necessarily been the case for the Cavs most of the season, but “it’s been a trend when we lost,” Eames added.

Futo went 2-for-3 with two RBI, while Ramos was 1-for-4 with one RBI for Darton. ABAC was led by Blake Lee, who went 3-for-5 with two RBI.

Eames said he plans to start sophomore righthander Aaron West today in Game 2 of the best-of-three series.

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