Bell Creek wins “cat” fight against Foundation Christian
Bell Creek junior pitcher Tyler Fritsch delivers a pitch Thursday afternoon at Foundation Christian. Fritsch earned his first win of the season, striking out five and allowing four runs across six innings (photo by Lily Belcher).
By Lily Belcher
Correspondent
March 10, 2022
VALRICO – Bell Creek Academy claimed their second win of the season in the rainy, Thursday afternoon battle of Panthers, taking a 6-4 victory against Foundation Christian Academy.
Bell Creek (2-2) junior Tyler Fritsch pitched six innings and got seven consecutive outs in the middle of the game before handing the ball over to reliever Matthew Kelley, who finished out the win.
“I always get excited to be out on the mound, its my favorite thing to do in the game,” Fritsch said. “I just like having the ball in my hands.”
The most challenging part of the game for Fritsch was the rain preventing him from getting a good grip on the ball, but the right hander was able to toss five strikeouts against Foundation Christian batters.
However, when the ball did get put into play, Fritsch’s defense was able to back him up to retire the batters.
“I always love my first baseman [senior Frank Burke]. I’ve been playing with him since I was in sixth grade….I always know that if the ball is going there, the play is going to get made,” said Fritsch.
Burke scored two of Bell Creek’s six runs and got on base in 3-of-4 at-bats, slapping a double in the second, single in the third, and walk in the fifth. Designated hitter sophomore Noah Berning, who went 3-for-4, drove in Burke with an RBI double in both the third and the fifth.
“I saw the ball good today, Berning said. “I had a good crowd and good teammates cheering me on. I can finally see the ball well and I can hit. I haven’t been able to do that recently.”
While Bell Creek held on to its lead from the top of the fourth, Foundation Christian (4-2) got some action on the basepath in the sixth and seventh innings, with five of their final nine batters reaching. However, the pitching by Fritsch and Kelley kept the Foundation Panthers at bay with Burke getting the final out of the game in a pop fly to first.
“They’re a good team. They keep fighting. They never gave up. With those kinds of teams, you have to play hard for 21 outs and that’s what we did,” said Bell Creek coach Frank Burke, Sr.
Bell Creek Academy faces rival Sports Leadership and Management Academy on Friday at 6pm, while Foundation Christian will play at Altamonte Christian on Friday at 3:30pm.
Bell Creek 6
Foundation Chr 4
BC 111|210|0 – |6|10|2
FC 300|001|0 – |4|6|2
W – Fritsch (1-1); L – Porter (0-2); S – Kelley (1)
2B – Burke, Berning 2 (BC); 3B – Fritsch (BC). Records – BC (2-2); FC (4-2).
