It was certainly a night for hitters, and in the early going, it was all Fluvanna Post 2003. But after five quiet innings, Albemarle Post 74 finally came to life, posting a pair of 7-run innings to jump out in front and win its second game in the District 12 tournament, 15-10.
“I’m really proud of this team for not giving up,” said Albemarle coach Mike Maynard. “We could have easily given up and watched them kick down the door all game.”
With the dugout fired up, Post 2003 put up five runs in the top of the first with a 2-run single from Christian Oliver, and RBI single from Jeff Buckler and a double from Josh Barringer that brought home two more runs.
“I told the guys that I was very happy with the effort,” said Fluvanna coach Eric Miles. “This group can just uncork the bats and things (like that first inning) happen.”
For the first five innings, Tyler Denby took care of business on the mound, holding Albemarle to just one run and four hits as he consistently changed speeds to keep opposing batters off-kilter.
With Geran Steljes taking the mound in relief during the fourth inning and keeping Fluvanna scoreless, Post 74 snapped its cold streak at the plate in the bottom of the sixth to swing things in their favor.
“Geran saved us tonight,” Maynard said. “He gave us two innings where Fluvanna didn’t score and was huge, it allowed us to refocus.”
Vince Coles led the inning off with a single and in the next at-bat, Danny Morris cranked a 2-run homer that fired up the rest of the team. After a pop fly out, Albemarle put eight straight runners on base behind five singles, one double, a walk and a error. Five of those runners crossed the plate, one when Rashad Talley reached base on an error, one on an RBI single from Josh Sites, two from a 2-run single from Coles and the last on a single from Morris.
“Fluvanna was hitting the ball so hard and we weren’t, we were tired of it,” said Albemarle’s Joey Varaksa. “We came back and finished through and we’re all really happy with the outcome.”
The rally in the sixth gave Albemarle a 2-run lead, but Fluvanna quickly answered back to tie the game on a bases loaded walk with one out and an RBI single from Barringer. Post 74 avoided further damage in that inning as the infield was able to turn an inning ending 4-6-3 double play with the bases juiced.
Things quited down for the next inning, but just as it did two innings prior, Albemarle went on another 7-run tear in the bottom of the eight highlighted by a pair of 2-run doubles from Varksa and Jake Hendrix which put Post 74 up by seven.
In the top of the ninth, Barringer and Garrett Mullaney trimmed the deficit to five runs on an RBI single and error respectively. However, that would be it.
For Fluvanna, Chris Bell and Oliver were each 2 for 5. Buckler was 2 for 4 with a pair of RBI. Barringer was 3 for 5 and drove in four runs.
For Albemarle, Coles went 3 for 5 with three RBI. Morris was 4 for 6 with four RBI. Varaksa went 4 for 5 with a pair of doubles and two RBI.
Fluvanna Post 2003 will play Orange Post 156 at 1 p.m. today at Porterfield Park in Orange.
Albemarle will play Spotsylvania Post 50, at 4 p.m., also in Orange.
