FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS – Brandon Hampton had an outstanding pitching performance for the Metro East Bears recently.
Hampton gave up just one hit and faced the minimum in the Bears’ 9-0, four-and-a-half inning win over Belleville 2 in a group-play game of the Firecracker Classic tournament at Longacre Park/George Lanxon Field.
Hampton struck out four in getting the win.
“It felt good; I had a lot of good plays behind me I was trying to throw strikes,” Hampton said. “Joel Quirin made a good play, we didn’t have any errors, so that felt good.”
Hampton’s curveball and fastball worked best for him on the night, he felt. “My control, my fastball and my curve” was working, he said. “Whatever works to get them out.”
The Bears had an early-morning Sunday game the next day, but Hampton felt that would not have been an obstacle. “Once you get here, just start playing ball,” Hampton said of the Sunday morning game, which the Bears won 6-1 over Ballwin, Mo.
As far as the Bears go, Hampton thinks they could go a long way in the American Legion postseason. “We can go a long way if we keep making the plays and hitting like we do,” Hampton said.
