The Charlotte Amalie Chicken Hawks held off the Bertha C. Boschulte Blazers 7-6 in junior varsity baseball action at the Michael J. Kirwan ballpark Tuesday.
Blazers pitcher Shamal Samuel hit a three-run home run in the first inning to help start his effort on the mound. The Chicken Hawks scored one run in the bottom of the inning, but scored three runs in the next inning and another in the third to take a 5-3 lead.
The Blazers came back with three runs in the top of the sixth inning, high-lighted by catcher Kyle LaMotta's two-run home run to tie the game at five. Samuel then walked and scored on a two out error by Chicken Hawks shortstop Dekuma Francis.
The Chicken Hawks answered in the bottom of the inning when Francis led it off with a line drive up the middle. Chicken Hawks pitcher Moriba George then drove him in with a triple down the right field line. George scored off a sacrifice fly to center field that ended the game.
The Blazers out hit the Chicken Hawks seven to three. However, Samuel walked nine batters. The Chicken Hawks improved to 3-1 to take a half a game lead over the Addelita Cancryn Iguanas for first place in the junior varsity league.
