BASEBALL: Fort’s Sipe blanks Lee

FORT DEFIANCE — Fort Defiance lefthander Blake Sipe mixed a curve and fastball Tuesday to limit R.E. Lee to four hits and pitch the Indians into the Southern Valley District tournament finals with a 9-0 win.

Sipe received all the run support he needed in the first inning when the Indians scored two runs.

On the day, Fort Defiance banged out 12 hits, including three from catcher Daniel “Righty” Wright, and two from shortstop Chris Huffman. Huffman also made a stellar defensive play, catching a bad hop ground ball and throwing out a runner.

But it was Sipe’s afternoon. He struck out 12 and walked one,  throwing just under 100 pitches to increase his record to 6-2.

“He had good command of his curve and was able to locate his pitches,’’ said Fort Defiance Coach Vic Spotts. Spotts said Sipe was so effective with his curve and fastball there was no need for him to use another pitch he has: a changeup.

Lee Coach Bobby Humphrey said Sipe “is a great pitcher’’ and athlete who pitched a strong game.

The Leemen threatened to score seriously only once when they loaded the bases on three singles in the fifth inning.

But Sipe struck out the next two hitters, center fielder Terrell Mickens and left fielder Josh Wood, to end the scoring threat.

Fort Defiance will face Stuarts Draft in the Southern Valley District finals Thursday at 6 p.m. in Fort Defiance.

Spotts calls the 16-3 Indians “one of the best teams I’ve had.” He said the Indians have offered strong pitching and defense all year.

As for Fort Defiance’s state title chances, Spotts said “there is a long way to go. But we are good enough to be a contender.”

Spotts said the last time Fort Defiance captured a state championship was 1982, when former NBA great Dell Curry was a pitcher on the team.

As for Lee, the 6-15 Leemen still have a shot at making it to the Region III tournament. They will face Waynesboro Thursday in the Southern Valley District consolation game.

“We’re improved from last year,’’ said Humphrey, who noted the youth on the Leemen squad. The third-place and cleanup hitters are both sophomores.