Hall of Fame outfielder Wee Willie Keeler offered advice for his fellow hitters around the turn of the 20th century when speaking to Brooklyn Eagle sportswriter Abe Yager: "Hit 'em where they ain't."

His words still ring true as today as they were 100 years ago which the Kettle Run baseball team found out the hard way Tuesday night in Nokesville against top-seeded Brentsville District in the semi-finals of the Northwestern District tournament.

With the Cougars (10-10) trailing 6-2 in the top of the fourth inning, second baseman Luke Palese rocked a 1-1 high fastball off the warning track in left-centerfield that one-hopped off the fence for a stand-up double.

Kettle Run had a chance to spark a rally with one out and the bottom of the line-up due up when rightfielder Josh Leonard launched the second pitch he saw from Brentsville starter Austin Hale to deep, deep centerfield.

But there was senior James Kerns, ready and waiting to make the catch for out No. 2.

Hale then delivered another hanging 1-0 pitch to Kettle Run shortstop Robbie Spinks. The nine-hole hitter cranked it to the outfield, but for the second time in a row, it floated long enough for a Brentsville defender, this time leftfielder Brian Worley, to snag it.

That would mark the last time the Cougars would have a runner in scoring position.

By the time it was all said and done, Brentsville (15-3) won by slaughter rule with a 12-2 victory called in the bottom of the fifth. The Tigers earned six runs in the first inning off of starter Jimmy Bowman and six in the fifth against reliever Jamie Driver while Hale gave up two runs on a wild pitch and an error.

"We're actually scoring in multiple innings" this year, said Kerns, comparing the 2009 Tigers to their 2008 counterparts.

Last year's squad would routinely wait until the last possible moment to put together huge come-from-behind rallies to win post-season games until that strategy finally caught up with the Tigers when they bowed out of the playoffs in the state quarterfinals.

"It's coming from all the guys who were on the team last year," said coach Brian Knight.

Brentsville has adopted a knack this year for scoring early and keeping consistent pressure on its opposition as demonstrated in the Wednesday game against Kettle Run.

In the first inning with the bases loaded, shortstop Rich Lindsay blew the game open for Brentsville by smacking a 1-0 triple that scored three runs and put Kettle Run in a 6-1 hole.

"I saw it and drove it," said Lindsay, explaining that he was just looking for a strike at the plate.

The bookends of the game aside, Kettle Run managed to play even-or-better with the regular season champions in the middle innings. The Cougars made smart base running decisions like in the top of the third inning when centerfielder Justin Reinaldo took off on a 2-1 pitch that catcher David Stuart grounded to short.

Even though Lindsay gunned Stuart out at first, the hit-and-run worked well enough to move the lead runner to second base uncontested.

That led to Reinaldo taking third base on a dribbler in front of the plate by Bowman. The centerfielder then scored on a wild pitch to Zach Phillips that bounced in the dirt and careened off catcher Brian McBride's right side toward the backstop.

But lucky breaks against the Tigers come few and far between. Unable to capitalize with a man in scoring position in the top of the fourth, Hale dropped the Cougars 1-2-3 on fly outs in the fifth after a lead-off infield single by Reinaldo.

"We hung with the best team in the district from more than half the game," said Kettle Run coach Ty Thorpe.

Against that same powerhouse though, a young squad simply cannot give up three first-inning errors and expect to come out on top.

"They're going to make you pay," said Thorpe. "They're a heck of an offensive team."

According to Bowman, "we weren't playing relaxed" in the first inning, which caused the errors.

"That's what you can't do against a good team," said Knight of the KR errors, adding that Brentsville used to be the same way three years ago.

Now, Brentsville is that team other teams can't afford to make mistakes against.

Kettle Run kept the faith having come back from a five-run deficit earlier in the season despite ultimately losing that game.

"It's really no different" said Bowman about his approach toward the Brentsville line-up compared to other outings.
Kerns and Lindsay both said the key to the Tigers continuing to succeed in the post-season is just to play the way they're capable of playing.

"We need to keep hitting the ball like we're doing," said Kerns, with Lindsay later adding, "We just got to keep doing what we're doing."

As for the Cougars, the senior-less rookie squad should be back in full-force next season.

"Kettle Run has gotten so much better," remarked Knight as he thought about the Tigers previous outings against the team.

"The new district better look out for us" next year, said Bowman.