With a state tournament berth on the line and a long road trip to Strasburg, Goochland’s baseball team knew it was going to hang in a tight game.
With Tanner Bradshaw on the mound, that was just fine by the Bulldogs.
Goochland managed to score four straight runs after falling into a one-run hole in the fourth inning and picked up a 4-1 road win to secure a coveted spot in the Group 2A state tournament.
Bradshaw threw five innings, giving up just one run while striking out four and scattering three hits. Nick Norman entered the game in the sixth as Goochland followed a formula that worked nicely in the Conference 34 championship game. The lefthander struck out three in his two innings of scoreless work.
Strasburg took its 1-0 lead in the fourth inning but Andrew Harcum blasted an RBI double to score John King to equalize. Harcum finished 4-for-4 on the night with three doubles, a monster night at the plate for the Bulldogs’ No. 2 hitter.
Goochland took control of the game in the top of the sixth with Coleman Duty notching an RBI triple to score Hunter Bailey before No. 7 hitter Jeb Anderson plated Duty as as the bottom part of the Goochland order came up big.
The Bulldogs advance to the Region 2A East final where they’ll face Maggie Walker, who beat Madison County 4-0 Thursday night. Next Friday Goochland will head to Salem for the state semifinals.
