Headlines

Fluvanna baseball edges Monticello in extras

All a coach can ask for from a team is continued improvement. Well, the Fluvanna County baseball team has done just that, and got its just reward on Tuesday night against Monticello.

 

Fluvanna rallied to send the game into extra innings, then secured the 7-6 win in dramatic fashion thanks to a walk off walk, as No. 3 batter Tre Bright drew a base on balls to send teammate Austin Brown across home plate.

“We’ve played two extra inning ball games and we’ve found a way to scratch a run across in each extra inning game we played,” Fluvanna veteran coach Mike Sheridan said. “Tonight we took a step forward. We know we are young, we know we are inexperienced, but like I told one of the kids earlier, this is your 15th varsity ballgame. You’re not inexperienced anymore, it’s time for us to step up and make plays.”

With the game tied 3-3 in the fourth, Bryce McGlothlin belted a two-run double to give Monticello the lead. The multi-talented senior finished with a pair of hits on the night.

The Flucos (6-9) answered in the fifth as Brant Wood scored off a fielder’s choice.

The visitors took a two-run lead in the top of the seventh on an RBI single to left field from Tyler Walker.

However, with two outs, Fluvanna battled back in the bottom half of the inning. Logan Gibson drew a bases-loaded walk to score Wood. Then, Sam Fleming hit an RBI single to center field to tie it up before the potential game-winning run was thrown out at home.

Brown, who pitched in relief of starter Shaun Holyfield, shut down the Mustangs in the top of the eighth, giving up just one walk. Brown scattered six hits and gave up three runs over five innings. He paved the way for Fluvanna, as he was hit by a pitch to reach base.

“There were some huge plays made by both teams,” Sheridan said. “I’m extremely proud of the guys because they fought and battled. Win the battle, it’s a war. If we win our battles each time, we’ll eventually win that war.”

Five walks, including one intentional, over the last two innings proved to be detrimental to Monticello. The Mustangs gave up 10 walks in the contest.

“There were some parts where the execution could have been better, but the story of the game is going to be the walks — they come back and get you,” said Pete O’Malley, who assumed head coaching duties for Monticello’s Corey Hunt (illness) for the night. “We told the outfielders the winning run was on second, to go ahead and give yourself a shot to throw it out at the plate and lo and behold, the play happened. All you can do is put yourself in a position, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.”

Both teams are back in action on Thursday. Monticello (9-7-1) visits Louisa, while Fluvanna travels to Albemarle.

Comments

comments