Kings Academy Edges Benjamin To Win 3A-12 Ttitle

Kings Academy is the 2013 3A-12 District Champions

Kings Academy and Benjamin have a history of big, high intensity match-ups. Over the past two seasons the two teams have met seven times, with three of those meetings taking place in the postseason.

In 2012, the Lions won the matchup battle. They won three of the four meetings, including the district final and regional semi-final. Benjamin got their revenge in the 2013 season though. The Buccaneers swept the regular season series and rode a six game winning streak into the district 3A-12 championship game against the Lions Thursday night.

Just like in previous meetings over the years, the two teams battled back and forth in another high intensity matchup. Benjamin could not quite get over the hump, as Kings Academy won 1-0 for their second consecutive district title.

“Both teams played phenomenal,” Benjamin head coach Brian Kaplan said. “Fundamentally, pitching, and defense, both teams played great baseball.”

The story of the game was defense as the two teams got locked in a pitchers duel early. Benjamin and Kings Academy combined for only 11 hits and neither pitcher allowed an extra base hit. Combine that with a solid defensive performance and you have the nail-biter that has come to be expected when the two teams get together.

Benjamin pitcher Matt Harris had been the workhorse for his team all season long. Going into Thursday night’s championship game he had compiled a 6-0 record with 46 strikeouts in seven games started.

Matt Tucker gets the win throwing a complete game 3-hitter

He continued his dominant pitching, striking out at least one batter every inning on his way to adding eight more strikeouts to his already impressive totals. He faced more than four batters in an inning only twice, one of which was when he surrendered the only run of the inning. He allowed no walks on the day and his coach knows that he did more than enough to keep his team in contention to win.

“Before the game had started if I had known that he was only going to give up one run I would have said we are going to win,” Kaplan said. “He did above and beyond everything he could do to get that victory for us. “He was strong and that’s what we expect from him every time and that’s what he is going to give us in the playoffs.”

The only thing that kept the Buccaneers from that win was the pitcher on the opposing side, Matt Tucker. While Tucker’s numbers might not have been as flashy as Harris’ (three strikeouts and five hits), he kept Benjamin off balance all game with his off-speed pitches.

“I knew I wasn’t going to overpower them with much of my fastball,” Tucker said. “I just tried to hit my spots like coach told me and throw a lot of off-speed and spot my curveball.”

Kings Academy finally broke through at the plate in the top half of the sixth inning.

Matt Harris goes the distance, striking out eight in the loss

Lions center fielder John Carpenter lead off the inning with a single to left field. After a strikeout and a stolen base by Carpenter, right fielder Mark Zippin grounded out to third base. First baseman James Vaughn came up and hit an RBI single to left-center, driving in Carpenter for what ended up being the game winning run.

“He threw a change up on the first pitch that I swung and missed on,” Vaughn explained. “Then he threw a few more pitches and I finally got a curve ball that I could get the bat on and got it out there.”

Both teams will move on and compete in next weeks regional tournament. With the win, Kings Academy will host their first round regional match-up while Benjamin will have to go on the road. Getting to play those games on their home field is something that is special for Lions Coach Doug Magaw’s kids.

“That’s special, there is no doubt about that,” Magaw said. “We are excited about that are are looking forward to that for sure.”

The Lions and Buccaneers will now both turn their attentions to their regional match-ups next Thursday.

“We made it our goal to play solid defense and our guys are going to continue to work hard to prepare,” Magaw said. “There are three elements to the game, hitting, pitching, and defense and we are going to continue to keep focusing on those three things.”

“I think we have to go back through practice and prepare for next Thursday and just look at things a little different offensively and make some adjustments at the plate,” Kaplan said. “I’m happy with the way the guys played defense and pitched and I know next game we will come out strong and ready to go.”

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