Gallipolis whips Portsmouth, 13-3

[jottings]

Backed by a 13 hit attack, and an air-tight defense, visiting Gallipolis Gallia Academy throttled host Portsmouth, 13-3, in the final 2008 Southeastern Ohio League’s South Division contest in historic but aging Branch Richey Park-Del Rice Stadium Friday evening.

The triumph improved GAHS’ overall record to 12-8. The Blue Devils finished in undisputed second place in the South Division, and will play Warren Local at Vincent on Wednesday, May 7, for third place in the final 2008 SEOAL standings.

Meanwhile, the Trojans dropped to 9-11 overall and 5-7 inside the South Division. PHS will travel to Marietta on the Day of Champions for the overall seventh spot in the final league standings. The Trojans were tied with Chillicothe in the South Division final standings, but CHS won the tiebreker by taking the season series from the river city nine.

Saturday, Portsmouth was to host powerful Fairland in a non-league game. Monday, GAHS is scheduled to host Ravenswood, W. Va., in the non-conference outing.

In Friday’s game, played under the lights, Gallipolis jumped on PHS starter John Harcha for four runs in the first inning, and the Blue Devils increased their lead to 5-0 following two innings of action.

Portsmouth scored once in the bottom of the third, and twice in the fifth to cut Gallia’s advantage to 5-3.

Gallipolis broke it open in the top of the sixth inning with five big runs, three coming off a 350-foot home run to deep centerfield by Nick Stevens. The blast not only cleared the wall at Branch Richey Park, it sailed over a high net behind the wall.

With rain falling in the final rung, GAHS added three insurance runs on Ian Dressel’s 347-foot blast over the right field wall. It was Dressel’s second three-run homer against the Trojans in six days.

Unofficial stats

Gallipolis scored 13 runs on 13 hits off losing pitcher John Harcha. The Blue Devils played flawless ball in the field, and racked up three double plays to aid winning pitcher Jeff Golden, who recorded his third straight win since joining the two and one-half weeks ago. Golden fanned two and walked four. He gave up three runs on five hits. PHS committed three errors.

GAHS had six extra base hits in Friday’s win. Shawn Thompson had a double, Cody Noble, Kruize Wandling and Thompson blasted triples while Stevens and Dressel had three-run homers.

Score by innings:
Gallipolis….410 005 3 – 13-13-0
Portsmouth..001 020 0 -- 3-5-3

[jottings]

Talked to Biggdawg and several brave (because of the weather, it rained during the fifth, sixth and seventh innings)Portsmouth fans who attended Friday's night game at Branch Rickey Park in Portsmouth.

Nice facility, but needs some repair work. Understand the city now owns this historic facility. Heard lots of good stories from oldtimers who recalled the stadium's heydays in the 40s, 40s and 60s.