Brandon Willingham was in postseason form Tuesday, and Boyd-Buchanan needed all he had.
Willingham fashioned a nine-strikeout two-hitter, leading the host Buccaneers' 2-1 victory over Silverdale Baptist in the District 5-A baseball tournament winners-bracket final.
"He was strong. We're very confident with Brandon on the mound," Bucs coach Josh Rider said. "He has averaged 10-11 strikeouts over his last four games."
The play of Willingham's battery mate, Josh Antwine, kept Silverdale at bay as well.
Antwine, who catches only when Willingham pitches, went 1-for-3 offensively, but the senior was at his best as a defender. He initiated and completed an unusual 2-6-2 double play, throwing out a runner attempting to steal and then tagging the runner coming from third on the return throw to snuff out SBA's first serious threat. He picked off a runner at second to kill another Seahawks scoring attempt.
"He has a great arm, a quick release," Rider said. "Picking one off was huge for us, because it ended their rally in the sixth."
Said Antwine: "The last time we played they stole four bases on me, so I have made some changes in my mechanics. The guy I picked off I know pretty well. We play summer ball together, so that was fun for me."
Shortstop Cade Evans was involved in both of the plays, tagging the runner trying to steal second before zipping a return throw to Antwine for the double play and then suggesting that Antwine throw down to second after the SBA player who had reached on a single stole second base on a close play.
"Yep, we had a meeting at the mound and Cade said, 'Josh, pick him off on the first pitch' (after the meeting), and it worked," Antwine said.
Willingham, Antwine and Evans weren't the only ones to show off their arms. Silverdale right fielder Noah Rogers gunned down two Bucs at the plate to keep Boyd-Buchanan from breaking the game open.
Colby Morgan was invaluable for the Bucs. He drilled a first-inning home run to center field and singled in what would be the winning run in the third. E.J. Matthews was 3-for-3 and Austin Jackson had a double and a single in his two official at-bats.
Silverdale will play again today, hosting Monday's Grace Academy/Arts & Sciences winner at 5, with the winner of that game traveling to Boyd-Buchanan on Wednesday for the championship.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.