By Cody Pastorella
The Port Arthur News
May 09, 2008 12:05 am
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The Port Neches-Groves did just about everything right in Wednesday night's 5-0 win over Katy Seven Lakes for Game 1 of the best-of-three series.
Game 2 will be at 5 p.m. today at New Caney High School. If necessary, Game 3 will follow.
PN-G head coach Jay Stone is hoping his team continues to hit and pitch as it did on Wednesday as Eric Harrington surrendered just two hits while the Indians collected 10.
The one thing Stone would like to see his club do better is take advantage of scoring opportunities. PN-G (22-5) left 10 runners on base, including seven in scoring position.
"We're going to need another good pitching performance and we're going to have to capitalize when we have runners on base," said Stone who is giving the ball to sophomore Kane Benoit for the start in Game 2.
"Benoit is going to be our starter for the first game and hopefully that's the only game. But we have a number of guys who are capable of throwing. We're going to start with Benoit and we'll go from there."
Benoit is 3-0 on the season with a 2.35 ERA.
Harrington, who struck out nine batters en route to his eighth win of the season (8-0 with two saves and an ERA well under 1.00), threw just 85 pitches.
Stone said 85 is not that much for someone who recoups as fast as Harrington does.
"He's going to get a good run in today and as good as shape as he is in," Stone said, "I feel like he will be able to give us an inning or two if we needed it."
PN-G picked up one run in the second inning and four more in the third to get out to a 5-0 lead. That was plenty of room for Harrington who only allowed six base runners in the game. One base runner reached on a walk, another by an error and two reached by a fielder's choice.
Blake Reyenga and Benoit each had two hits in the contest. Reyenga singled and doubled, going 2-for-4 with a walk.
Benoit went 2-for-2 with two walks and a run scored.
All but two starters reached base for the Indians in Game 1.
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