June 15, 2009 — The St. Croix Elmo Plaskett East 11-12 All-Stars came up with a huge 6-2 win Saturday night against the Elrod Hendricks West All-Stars of St. Thomas to force a third and deciding game three on Sunday at the D.C. Canegata Ballpark.
The St. Thomas squad had taken a one-game lead in the series Friday with a 3-1 rain-shortened contest, and was looking to wrap things up Saturday. However, the St. Croix starting pitcher, Darren Stevens, gave the home side four strong innings before turning things over to closer Evanston Matthews in the fifth inning. Matthews shut the door on the visitors over the final two innings.
After a scoreless first inning, St. Croix got on board in the bottom of the second on a wild pitch to take the early lead.
St. Thomas promptly returned the favor in the top of the third by tying the game at one by way of a passed ball. St. Croix answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Conroy Samuel and a passed ball to take the lead for good at 3-1.
An unearned run on an error by the St. Croix first baseman accounted for St. Thomas' final run of the game in the top of the fourth inning. They trailed 3-2 at that point. However, St. Croix again responded, this time with three runs, to extend their lead to four runs at 6-2. They scored three runs on a two-run triple by Matthews and an RBI single by Stevens.
The fourth inning proved to be the final scoring for either team, and the Crucians came away with a well-earned 6-2 victory to live to see another day.
Stevens got the win on the hill for St. Croix with a strong relief effort from Matthews. Kelani Lake got the loss for St. Thomas. Top hitters for St. Croix were Stevens, 2 for 3 with one RBI, and Matthews, 1 for 3 with two RBIs. For St. Thomas, Mekhi Abrahamson and Eugene Farrell both went 1 for 2.
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