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Bowles and Cherokee batter Washington Twp., 13-5

Brett Bowles doesn't mind being behind in the count. That goes for at-bats during his charmed senior season and also for the unusual course of his career with the Cherokee baseball team.

Brett Bowles doesn't mind being behind in the count.

That goes for at-bats during his charmed senior season and also for the unusual course of his career with the Cherokee baseball team.

"It's really a great story," Cherokee coach Marc Petragnani said after Bowles led the Chiefs to a 13-5 victory over Washington Township on Thursday in an Olympic Conference American Division game.

Bowles, a designated hitter, rapped three hits with three RBIs as Cherokee (9-6, 5-3 division) won its third game in a row and likely earned itself a home game in the South Jersey Group 4 tournament.

Senior shortstop Shane Albertson scored three runs and junior leftfielder Evan Powell collected two RBIs and scored two runs as Cherokee produced its highest scoring output of the season - by six runs.

"We've been working on our hitting," Bowles said. "Our pitching has been good, our fielding has been good. We're trying to focus on our hitting because that's what we needed."

Bowles led off the second inning with a single and came around to score on Jeff Schick's RBI groundout. Bowles delivered a two-out, two-run single in the fourth and added an RBI single in the Chiefs' six-run rally in the sixth.

Bowles has emerged as the Chiefs' unlikely cleanup hitter.

"He came into this season without a role," Petragnani said. "I think he played in one [varsity] game last year. I thought he might only pitch and not hit for us.

"But he's the kind of kid who just works, doesn't give up. He was hitting in the cage, hitting in the cage, hitting in the cage.

"We went down to South Carolina and tried him in the cleanup spot and he started hitting, and all he's done all season is hit. He's been a godsend for us."

Bowles is a top student who plans to attend Lebanon Valley College and try to make the baseball team. He hopes to study biochemistry with an eye toward becoming a cancer research specialist.

Bowles is a program player in the best sense. He paid his dues at the sub-varsity level and has battled his way into the starting lineup in his final season.

He doesn't mind facing long odds at the plate, either. Unlike most hitters, Bowles said he feels comfortable with two strikes.

"I don't know what it is - I get up on the plate and go for anything close," Bowles said. "I feel comfortable with two strikes. It doesn't bother me."

Bowles rapped two of his singles with two strikes in continuing a dream season that Petragnani hopes will serve as an example to the young players in the program.

"It shows the younger kids that you have to stick with it," Petragnani said of Bowles' late success at the varsity level. "You just keep grinding it out. You stick with it.

"He knows who he is and he knows what he can do. I can't say I expected it. He's the best surprise we've had in years."

Washington Twp. 101 300 0 - 5 7 1

Cherokee 021 406 x - 13 7 2

WP: Jarrad Delarso. LP: Rich Racobaldo.

2B: WT-Nick Grosso.