Coming off a loss on the road to Mountain View where Albemarle hit the ball hard, but right into teeth on the Wildcats defense, the Patriots had a different kind of night back at home against Stafford on Friday night. Where the right bounces weren’t there on Tuesday, fate would have it that Albemarle sent its senior’s off in their last regular season home game in winning fashion, 4-2 against Stafford in what’s been welcome tradition since coach Jimmy Bibb took over in 2011.
“We’ve gotten three in a row on senior night and you love to do that for the seniors, you don’t usually see it because someone is likely to spoil for you,” Bibb said. “Stafford always plays us tough whether they’ve got senior or whether their young. They put pressure on us and had us a bit off balance but we had some key hits and got a big break on a passed ball.”
Senior pitcher AJ Willy threw shutout baseball through the first four innings and finished with eight strikeouts in five innings of work to lead the way to a win on the mound.
“Curveball was pretty good and I don’t know what was going on, but (the batters) were swinging way too early on the fastball,” Willy said. “I guess it had movement, but whatever it was it worked tonight. Overall team performance was great. I thought we came ready to play. The sticks weren’t there the way they’ve been but the defense was great not making any errors. And Ty Pittman was great behind the plate tonight. I had a lot of confidence in him.”
While Albemarle had a slow night offensively by their standards, fellow senior Kyle Vidano was able get to the Patriots off to a good start in the first inning with an RBI single to drive in another senior, Joe Burris who doubled in the previous at bat.
“After an 0 for 3 game against Mountain View I went and took some extra rounds in the cage yesterday, hitting extra,” Vidano said. “It worked out and I was able to get a few big hits.”
In the third, Albemarle went up 2-0 with a lead off double from Ty Pittman followed by another RBI single from Vidano. In the Fourth, the Patriots picked up two key insurance runs, getting the first after a walk to Alex Simmons, and single from DG Archer and RBI single from Pittman. Then a ground out and passed ball allowed Pittman score and make it 4-0.
“We know when we have the lead we can get going because AJ was on the mound throwing really well,” Vidano said. “It was good to come out and get the win on senior night, but it doesn’t get any easier from here on out.”
In the top of the fifth, Stafford got on the board on a double from Joshn Rose Wells and RBI single from Taylor Bourne. The Indians made it a 2-run contest in the top of the sixth with a leadoff single from Ryan Jones and an RBI ground out from Tyler Malt. But that would be it offensively for Stafford with Willy getting out of the jam after that and Simmons earning the save in relief in the top of the seventh.
Albemarle finishes its regular season on the road starting Tuesday at Riverbend then Thursday at Brooke Point, both at 6 p.m.
