Red Devils hold off USJ at USA Classic

Germantown got its usual strong game from lefthander Hayes Britt, much to coach Joey Nesbit's delight. But the Red Devils needed a big seventh inning to push aside USA Classic opponent University School of Jackson, 7-3, Wednesday at CBHS. That didn't make the boss so happy.

"It seems like we've been trying to live off the big inning, and that's not good," said Nesbit. "And when Hayes pitches, it seems like we lay back even more."

Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Germantown shortstop Jason Thompson makes a rare mistake on a ground ball during the third inning. The Red Devils held off USJ in the USA Classic.

after getting several extra-base hits early, the Red Devils (11-2) played small ball in the seventh against reliever Hunter Smith (0-1), getting four runs on four singles, a hit batsman, a walk and an error.

"We had to adjust a bit, and just try to put the ball in play. Do that and things sometimes happen," said third baseman Myles Holliman, who chopped an RBI infield single, and an error on the play brought home another run to make it 5-3. Second baseman Tyler Burnett and leftfielder Matthew Bates added RBI singles.

Senior Britt (3-0) went the distance, giving up eight hits in what would qualify as a "quality start" in the major leagues.

"I was using basically the fast ball, and I wasn't as sharp as I wanted to be, but I knew our bats would deliver," said Britt, who struck out only two and hit two batters, but checked the Bruins (12-3) after giving up a game-tying leadoff home run to catcher Jon Wills in the bottom of the sixth.

"In a tournament like this (four days, four games), that's huge," said Nesbit, whose team will meet Christian Brothers tonight in a 7:30 quarterfinal at Millington's USA Stadium "The rest of our staff is rested."

The Red Devils stranded no less than three runners on third base in the first four innings. Star shortstop Jason Thompson, a Louisville signee, tripled in the first and doubled in the third but never budged after those hits.

Germantown took a 3-2 lead in the fifth with two runs off Bruins' starter Walker McWherter, who has a 3-0 record. Centerfielder Mike Faulkner singled, and scored on a double by DH Ross Wilson, who scored on catcher Taylor Follis' single.

The Devils had a dozen hits, two each from five different players.

USJ junior third baseman Preston Overby had two hits and scored twice.

"We have to come ready to play, and we laid back way too long," USJ coach Brad Dyer said.

The second round of the USA Classic continues today with games at CBHS and Millington's USA Stadium.