CADIZ - It may not have been the most conventional victory Manager Brandt Mazeroski has ever been a part of, but his Cadiz Post 34 Legion team battled the near 100 degree temperatures to turn in an impressive victory in Beast of the East play Friday afternoon.
Nick Patrone pitched Post 34's second three-hitter in as many days and Spencer Badia homered and plated four runs as Cadiz took advantage of 10 walks and five WHC Renegades errors to post a six-inning, 12-3 victory at Mazeroski Field in Sally Buffalo Park.
The victory was the second in three tries in Beast play for Post 34 and improved them to 6-9 on the campaign.
Along with all the walks and errors, Cadiz managed just six hits, but also pushed across six unearned tallies.
''That is the way it has been so far for us,'' Mazeroski said. ''We have not collected a lot of hits, but we have gotten some big ones when we needed them.
''And the help from the other team is always appreciated.''
Cadiz played a little small ball followed by the long ball in the top of the first to take command early. D.J. Busby beat out a bunt single, stole second and went to third on a throwing error to get things started.
After Patrone walked on four pitches, Badia drilled a three-run homer deep over the right-field fence for a quick 3-0 advantage.
It was actually a strange beginning as Renegades pitcher Kevin Sheppard had trouble finding the strike zone early, allowed three runs, had two errors committed behind him, but eventually recorded three strikeouts to set Post 34 down.
It was more of the same in the second as Sheppard turned into his own worst enemy, giving up a leadoff single before throwing 13 consecutive balls and walking in a run. Cadiz made it 5-0 on a bases-loaded Badia sacrifice fly, his fourth RBI of the game, before Sheppard finally got out of the mess.
For the third consecutive inning Post 34 had its first two runners reach base in the third, and once again it helped produce runs. After a pair of singles, Sheppard recorded a pair of strikeouts before walking Busby and watching a pair of runs score when Patrone reached on a two-base error to push it to a 7-0 reading.
The Renegades' first hit also led to their first run in the home-half of the third. Brad Schatz singled back through the box leading off the frame and advanced to third on a wild pick-off throw. He later scored on Justin Myers' one-out sacrifice fly to center.
Cadiz received a gift run in the fourth with Josh Kernick reaching on an error, going to second on a fielder's choice and scoring on consecutive wild pitches to make it 8-1.
It turned into an 8-3 score in the bottom of the fourth when Kevin Flora ripped a two-run double to deep left for the Renegades.
Post 34 got one back in the fifth on Busby's one-out triple over the center fielder's head followed by a sacrifice fly from Patrone, aiding his own cause.
A three-run sixth, that did not include a hit among the four base-runners Cadiz had, put the finishing touches on a nice victory.
''Nick Patrone pitched a heckuva game in that heat,'' Mazeroski said. ''Pitching is a real big thing in this tournament because you know that every team you are going to play is going to be good. So to get a pair of three-hitters in back-to-back games is huge.
''We are a solid team when we want to be. We haven't always showed it, but we can be very good.
''I also want to give a little recognition to my assistant, John Patrone, who has stepped in for me as third base coach and helping to run the team while I handle my duties as Field Director for the tournament.''
