Strawberry Crest earns tenth win in victory led by Philpott
Strawberry Crest junior Alex Philpott struck out seven and earned the win in a relief appearance, while also keying the offensive comeback with a three-run home run (photo by Lily Belcher).
By Lily Belcher
Correspondent
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
DOVER – The Chargers closed out their 10th win of the season in a Wednesday night, 9-4 victory over the Wolves, led by a spectacular performance by centerfielder and relief pitcher Alex Philpott.
The Chargers (10-4) came out swinging with their first three batters hitting singles against Newsome (9-3) starter Evan Dempsey. Philpott earned his first RBI of his five RBI night in the first inning and promptly stole second before being stranded by the third out.
The early three-run lead afforded Crest’s starting pitcher Luke Richardson some room for error, but the junior pitched his way out of a bases-loaded situation in the second with back-to-back strikeouts.
“Luke [Richardson] didn’t have his best stuff tonight, but, like Luke does, he keeps us in the game,” said coach Chargers Eric Beattie. “Anytime Luke pitches, we know we’re going to have the opportunity to win.”
Newsome first baseman Evan Wainman, who went 3-for-3, and along with right fielder Caeden Diaz – hit back-to-back doubles that drove in Newsome’s first two runs. Richardson pitched 4 1/3 innings before handing the ball over to Philpott in the fifth.
“I knew I was going to come in and it was going to be a hard game to play against my old team. All those guys are my buddies still and I love all of them,” said Philpott.
Philpott previously Newsome before enrolling at Strawberry Crest at the start of this school year.
“It has been great. It was the best move I could have made,” admitted Philpott. “I love it here.”
Philpott inherited a runner, entering in a one-out situation and gave up two runs and the lead, before striking out two-in-a-row to close out the fifth.
Chargers third baseman Eli Vickers, who walked, and right fielder Ethan Pues, who was hit by a pitch, quickly stole third and second respectively as Philpott made his third plate appearance. The University of Florida commit hit a three-run home run over the left field fence to retake Crest’s lead and was met on the field by teammates spraying water bottles and giving high fives.
Philpott took the mound again following his three-run dinger and tossed two consecutive shutout innings, picking up five more strikeouts against fighting Newsome batters.
Crest tacked on three more runs on another home run shot by Arjun Nimmala with two on, to bring the Chargers’ final score to nine. The homer marks the first hit on the season for Nimmala in his first four at-bats after missing the first half of the regular season with a left wrist injury, after earning All-813Preps second team recognition in 2021.
Newsome stepped up to the plate in the top of the seventh trailing by five and put two on, but the confident and stretched out Philpott struck out the final three batters of the game to secure the win.
Newsome will face Durant in Plant City and Strawberry Crest will play at King on Thursday at 7pm.
⚾⚾⚾⚾
(7) Strawberry Crest 9
(5) Newsome 4
N 002|020|0 – |4|9|0
SC 300|033|x – |9|6|2
W – Philpott (2-1); L – Dempsey (3-2)
2B – Wainman (N); HR – Philpott, Vickers (SC). Records – N (9-3); SC (10-4).
