Langley junior catcher Chaz Ayoub was in same position just three days before when his game-tying single in the top of the seventh inning kept the Saxons’ season alive.
On a day sweltering enough that several of his teammates became ill while warming up hours before the first pitch, Ayoub again came through when the Saxons needed him most during Monday afternoon’s Northern Region Tournament quarterfinal game against No. 4 Westfield.
With Langley trailing by two runs in the top of the sixth inning, Ayoub crushed a three-run home run off Westfield starter Matt Elliot and the Saxons added three more runs in the top of the seventh for a decisive 8-3 victory at Robinson.
“It was up and in a little bit. I was right on it and it went out,” said Ayoub, whose two-run single in Friday’s first round game against South County tied it in the top of the seventh. “We’ve seen great pitching in the Liberty District all season so I’m not intimidated by anyone. Neither is anyone on this team.”
Elliot held Langley in check until that point, allowing just two hits through five innings. But on a cloudless afternoon when the temperature topped 90 degrees for the first time all spring, Westfield’s pitching finally wore down. Ayoub’s home run made it 5-3 and Saxons senior Alex Dadisman doubled home two more runs in the top of the seventh to extend the lead.
But what made the advantage hold up was Langley’s pitching, which prevented one of the region’s most potent lineups from getting the big hit Westfield needed. Langley senior reliever Brendan DiBari took over for starter Foster Dunigan in the fourth inning and retired six of the first seven batters he faced. Senior ace Bryce Morrison then retired the final four batters of the game to seal the victory for the Saxons.
“When someone goes down other people are there to pick them up,” said Morrison, who escaped from a two-on, two-out jam in the bottom of the sixth by inducing a comebacker from Elliot. “We didn’t really show that in the Liberty District tournament, but that’s what is so good about our team right now. Everyone is doing what they need to do for us to win games.”
Surging Saxons
» Langley sophomore Foster Dunigan, primarily a position player and relief pitcher, made the start on the mound for the Saxons for the first time all season. He gutted through 3 1/3 innings and allowed just three runs to keepLangley in the game.
» The Saxons advanced to the Northern Region semifinals for the first time since 2001, head coach Jeff Farrell’s first season in charge of the program. Langley plays No. 7 Oakton at 7 p.m., Wednesday.
» Langley improved to 15-9 with the victory. Westfield, which lost to Langley in the first round of last year’s region tournament, finished its season 17-6.
