Sports

DWS back in Final Four

• The Knights’ baseball program — led by sophomore Kevin McCrary — is back in the Class AAA Final Four for the first time since 2005 after sweeping George Walton on Friday.

Paul Dehner Jr.

ALBANY — Kevin McCrary’s oversized jersey flapped far down his skinny arms in a rain-drenched wind Friday as he stood on the mound at 150 pounds and soaking wet.

Then the sophomore threw his Deerfield-Windsor teammates on his back and carried them to the Final Four.

McCrary struck out 14 batters and allowed just four hits as Deerfield reached the Final Four for the first time since 2005 by completing a two-day sweep of George Walton, 10-2.

“He is growing up on the mound this year, and our team is loving playing behind him,” coach Rod Murray said. “We know Kevin is going to give us a good outing.”

Few could have predicted this after the first inning as McCrary watched back-to-back home runs sail through the rain and over the fence for George Walton.

“I thought if we didn’t hit, we were going to be in trouble,” McCrary said.

Deerfield did.

Though, McCrary didn’t need them.

The lefty settled in as his looping curveball and sneaky fastball left the Bulldogs with only two hits after the first as no runner advanced past second base.

He struck out five consecutive batters at one point and walked only two in the game.

“I knew once Kevin got in his groove he’d be fine,” said teammate Justin Lott, who threw a no-hitter in Game 1 on Thursday. “The first few innings you are always nervous. But he had all his pitches working for him.”

Deerfield made his effort count with a five-run fifth inning which broke a 3-2 game wide open.

The big hit came from Thursday’s offensive hero, Culin Brown, whose bases-loaded single scored the first two runs of the inning to begin the barrage.

Steven Mann followed with a two-RBI double and McCrary added a sacrifice fly. In the inning, Evan Boyd scored one of his three runs and finished 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI.

“It seems like all year somebody creates a spark for us and somehow it carries through our whole lineup,” said Lott, who was 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. “Once we get that spark it is contagious.”

Now, after two consecutive seasons losing in the second round, the Knights break the trend and advance to host the winner of Stratford and John Milledge next weekend for a berth in the state championship.

Stratford won the first game of the series Thursday and the conclusion of the series comes today at 1 p.m.

The Eagles eliminated the Knights last year.

“This is a resilient group,” Murray said. “We feel a little pressure is off, but we got to go back to work.”

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