For Albemarle, even with the luxury of having ace Joe Burris on the mound, Wednesday night was about getting the little things done.
The Patriots did them all against Brooke Point, and, in the process, picked up a 5-2 Commonwealth District quarterfinal victory that put No.2-seed Albemarle a win away from a Northwest Region tournament berth.
“We had two great squeeze bunts,” said Albemarle coach Jimmy Bibb. “I think there was only one time we didn’t execute on a bunt and that cost us early, but they got the job done late — you’ve got to give the kids credit.”
D.G. Archer’s performance was emblematic of that approach. Archer connected on a pair of sacrifices, drew a walk on a hit-by-pitch, brought in a run with one of those sacrifices and scored a run of his own. It was a team-centric performance on a night where the Patriots needed just that.
Burris managed to bear down and endure the heat, a rarity this spring that certainly took a lot out of the Patriots, including their pitcher.
“It was awful hot tonight — first time we’ve had an 85 degree, 88 degree temperatrure all year long so I’m sure he was probably a little bit tired,” Bibb said. “He gutted it out, he always does.”
Burris carried a shutout into the final inning before the Patriots surrendered a pair of runs in the seventh. Burris allowed just four hits on the night in the complete game effort. He also went 2 for 4 at the plate with a double and a run scored.
Alex Simmons went 1 for 2 and had an RBI. He also scored a run.
The Patriots will host the Commonwealth semifinal game Friday at 6 p.m.
