'When he hits, it’s big': Dean Bennett pitches, powers Rutland Little League past Andover at state tournament
OXFORD — Dean Bennett was the man for Rutland on Friday.
In Friday's elimination game of the Little League Major Division State Tournament, Bennett hit a tying homer, scored the winning run and struck out 10 to lift Rutland over Andover, 6-1, at Stanley Johnson Field.
While trailing, 1-0, Rutland was getting the bat on the ball but wasn't finding the gaps, and Andover starter Jake Shea was pitching well. He retired four of the first five batters, three on groundouts, and Rutland's only base runner reached on an error.
Bennett had a strong at-bat in the second inning while calmly working the count full, before belting the next pitch over the center field wall.
“When he hits, it’s big," manager Brian Ferguson said. "To tie that game up and make it a new game again.”
The homer was extra special for Bennett because hit the ball where his mother was sitting.
“It pretty much got the team started and got us all hyped up from there," Bennett said.
From there, Bennett settled in on the mound. He struck out eight over the course of the first three innings, while allowing four walks and two singles. In the second inning, he faced Brody Evans with the bases loaded and struck him out in three pitches.
“(Ferguson) just told me to relax and have fun,” Bennett said.
Andover stranded seven runners for the game.
Bennett also started a five-run fifth inning with a great hustle play. With one out, he beat the throw from third baseman Jack Stevens to reach base. After Jackory Acker walked, Declan O'Connor reached on a bunt to load the bases for Mason Ramos.
Ramos hit the ball the ball back to Shea, who bobbled the ball, allowing Bennett to cross and Ramos to reach first safely, beating out a fine good recovery throw.
Logan Tessier followed with a single that barely left the infield, but was enough to drive in Acker and O'Connor. Ramos crossed while the Andover players were holding the ball trying to get the ball back in.
“That’s what we do, we run," Ferguson said. "We’re an aggressive team, and going back through the whole tournament, we get a lot of bases on smart base running. The kids take advantage of everything they’re given.”
Shea allowed five hits and struck out five over 4⅔ innings.
“He got us to hit into a lot of ground balls, and they made some plays, and we just stayed with it," Ferguson said, "stuck with it and finally started to get by on it.”
Rutland also eliminated Andover during the 2021 tournament.
Petey Sinclair relieved Bennett at the start of the fifth inning and retired all four batters he faced, striking out three.
“He just comes in and does his job no matter what it is," Ferguson said. "Whether it's in left field, second base, pitching, up to bat, he just does what he does, and his attitude is always top notch.”
On his first strikeout — the first batter he faced — he finished off Deacon Wood with a sweeping off-speed pitch and sported a noticeable smile after he threw it.
“I don’t know if it’s an eephus or what Petey’s got, but when he throws it, it’s sick,” Ferguson said.
Rutland faces Barnstable Saturday in Oxford in a state semifinal. Barnstable won, 8-1, in Thursday night's first-round meeting with Rutland, but like it did en route to winning district and sectional titles, Rutland rebounded Friday with a win after dropping a tourney opener.
Saturday's winner will face Canton, a 9-0 Friday winner over Barnstable, in Sunday's state final, with the winner of that advancing to the New England Regionals in Bristol, Connecticut.
Andover's lone run came in the first inning when Jedward Sanchez drove in Jack Ilsley with a single. Ilsley reached on a four-pitch walk.
—Contact Michael Shattuck at michael.shattuck@telegram.com. Follow him on Twitter @MikeShattuck.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Rutland Little League still alive at states after eliminating Andover
