By Liz Keller / Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor
Louisa County’s baseball team needed some late-game heroics on offense and defense in order to come away with a Jefferson District win over Monticello on Friday night.
The Lions delivered in extra innings, as Jarrett Talley’s RBI single provided the go-ahead run and reliever Tyler Lloyd retired three straight batters in the 10th to give the visitors the 4-3 victory.
“Tyler went out there and was lights out. The defense has turned it around big time this season – that was our biggest problem before in these types of games,” Louisa assistant Evan Pelot said. “But they came out tonight and stepped up.”
A bit of drama in the fifth inning appeared to give the Lions some momentum. After Louisa coach Kevin Fisher was ejected for disagreeing with a call, the visitors came out with a renewed intensity and tightened up their defense in the sixth inning. With one out and two runners in scoring position, the Lions got out of the inning unscathed, as Max Mann lined a ball right to Louisa second baseman Kevin Kronander and Josh Malm grounded out to third base.
In the top of the seventh, Christian Buckler led off with a base hit to center field and later scored on a passed ball to tie the game at 2-2.
“Sometimes it takes something drastic like that to get them going,” added Pelot. “They rallied around that and came out and got excited. We got leadoff men on and had some great bunts to get them moving.”
Louisa starter Josh Seay was effective throughout, scattering seven hits in eight innings. The right-hander shut down the heart of the Mustangs’ order in the bottom of the seventh.
Louisa (6-7, 3-2 JD) took a 3-2 lead in the eighth, as Jacob Conley ripped a double to left-center field, and then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Seay. Alex Fletcher drew a walk before a balk by reliever Branden Beasley allowed Conley to score.
However, Monticello (6-7, 2-3) answered in the bottom half of the inning. Jhalil Mosley led off with a single and later scored on Bobby Andris’ sacrifice fly.
“They fought from the first pitch to the last pitch and someone has to win and someone has to lose,” Monticello coach Corey Hunt said. “It’s a tough game, but it’s how you bounce back. We came very close, but just came up a little short tonight.”
Lloyd, a senior right-hander, gave up a single to Kyle Jacobson in the ninth, but got the next two batters to pop up to the outfield to extend the game.
Fletcher led off the 10th with a single to center field. Robert Terrell’s sacrifice bunt moved him into scoring position before Talley’s base hit to left field sent Fletcher home for what proved to be the game-winning run.
Lloyd stayed collected under pressure and retired the bottom of the Monticello order before the Lions erupted in celebration.
“I just tried to stay as calm as possible and throw in the strike zone,” Lloyd said. “I had a lot of faith in my defense. Every ball that was hit, I had faith in them.”
The Louisa win overshadowed what was otherwise a brilliant outing for the Monticello starter, Malm. The sophomore gave up just two runs on the day and struck out the side in the fourth.
Mann, Lilley and Jacobson had two hits apiece for the Mustangs, while Conley and Kronander both had multiple hits.
Monticello plays host to Powhatan on Tuesday and Louisa is scheduled to entertain Fluvanna County.
