Steen Throws One-Hitter as Centennial Upsets No. 14 Reservoir

Centennial starting pitcher Zach Steen gave his team real reason to believe that an upset was possible over No. 14 Reservoir. The junior righty wiggled out of a jam early in the first without allowing a run and then retired sixteen hitters in a row before walking one and exiting the game with one out in the seventh due to pitch count limits.

Trevor Romaine was also pretty good for Reservoir as he retired the side in order in the first and second but found some trouble in the next two innings. With runners on second and third and two outs, Jack Pistner grounded one back up the middle just to where the second basemen could get to it but not make a throw to get an out. That brought in the games first run as Centennial took an early 1-0 lead in the third. 

In the fourth, Centennial plated two more to make it 3-0. Steen led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch and Ryan Cavey doubled to give the Eagles runners at second and third with no outs. Phillip Crispell singled on a line drive back up the middle to plate courtesy runner Caleb McClatchey and the Eagles would score the third run on a controversial but successful first-and-third double steal play in the end. 

Centennial would add one more in the fifth when the ball got away from the first basemen on a bad throw on a double play turn that would have ended the inning and that was plenty of run support. Matt Durkee came on and struck out the final two Gators for Steen in the seventh to secure the 4-0 upset win.

Steen finished the game with nine strikeouts and allowed just the one hit that came back in the first. Pistner (2-for-4, 2B, RBI. R) and Crispell (2-for-3, RBI) led the offense for the Eagles while Daniel Elliott was the only one to record a hit (double) for the Gators. 

Centennial will travel to No. 16 Atholton on Tuesday afternoon for the 3A East Section I Final.