A six-run second inning helped the Wilson Bruins beat the Tesoro Titans, 7-3, at Blair Field last night.  The win earned the Bruins a birth into the quarterfinals against Hart High School on Friday.

Before the game, manager Andy Hall told starting pitcher Tommy Nance, “the key to pitching in the playoffs is throwing the first pitch strike, and get the first out of every inning.”

Nance nodded his head to the advice and then walked the leadoff batter on four pitches.  But after he allowed a run in the opening frame, his teammates picked him up in the second.  The Bruins batted through the order, sending eleven hitters to the plate and racking up seven hits in the second frame.

Jesse Vansickle, Cody Harris and Trevor Moward each singled to start the inning, and then Alec Rosales poked a dying quail into center field for the game-tying RBI single.  With the bases still loaded, Ryan Endres got hit by a pitch for his most painful RBI of the season.  Next up, Aaron Hicks went the opposite way with a fastball to drive in two more with a stand up double.  Zach Wilson and David Terrazas finished the barrage with two RBI singles.

Nance used the five-run lead to his advantage, and took his coaches advice as he pounded the strike zone and cruised until the fifth when he gave up two more runs.  Nance gave up four hits and struck out three after not taking the hill for almost a week.

Senior Ray Hanson knows something about coming off the shelf, as well.  The 6-5 flamethrower has been injured since early March and made his triumphant return to the bump with 2.1 innings of scoreless one-hit ball.  Hanson was a major player last year as Wilson took the CIF Southern Section, and if they plan on repeating, they’re going to need performances like that against Hart on Friday in the quarterfinals.