Just one base running miscue kept Madison County from playing a near flawless first four innings. With Austin Wells throwing four innings or no-hit baseball and his teammates picking up five runs of offense in that span, all looked well for the Mountaineers at home against George Mason. But the issue for this team so far has rarely been about the first few innings. Late collapses have plagued Madison in the first three weeks of play. However, a 5-run rally in the bottom of the sixth and a strong relief effort from Travis Warren in the seventh spared the Mountaineers as the squad picked up its first home win of the season by topping the Mustangs 11-9.
“We got nervous again but managed to make it through it,” said first year Madison coach and former Virginia Tech player David Londrey. “We got on base, moved around with hit and runs, run and hits, drag bunts and bunts and run. We threw it all at them. We had great at-bats tonight. A lot of 2-out hits. We had those 7-8 pitch at-bats even when we were down 0-2, that’s awesome. That’s what we’re looking for. Better at-bats mean better batting averages.”
The Mountaineers started out strong in the first and second innings picking up 5 runs. Greg Cammilucci drew first blood with a 2-run double in the bottom of the first only to be followed by an RBI single from Colin Tucker. In the second, Madison added a run scored by Josh Honiker when JP Utz reached base on an error and then got an RBI single from Tyler Colvin.
“They threw a lot of first pitch strikes so we tried to jump on that,” Warren said. “We tried to be aggressive on the bases, play small ball, hit the opposite way instead pulling it. We just wanted to play good baseball, not do too much.”
Wells, the starter for Madison allowed just three runners to reach base of the first 16 batters he faced, surrendering no hits and no runs. He got himself out of a first inning jam with runners on first and second with one out when he fielded a line drive hit hard at him and turned caught the runner at second. He was forced to come out in the fifth with two outs, but finished the game with four strikeouts.
“It felt amazing up there,” Wells said. “I gave up a couple of early walks but stood in there and did what I could do. We came in here wanting to win this game and showed it early.”
Mason loaded the bases in the fifth and came through with a 2-run 2-out single to make it a 5-2 game. After Madison added a run in the bottom of the fifth thanks to an RBI single from Honicker, the Mustangs produced another run on a 1-out double and 2-out fielder’s choice where the runner at first was caught in a pickle, but ran long enough to score the runner at third.
Up by three, Madison poured on five runs of insurance in the bottom of the sixth to take a commanding lead, highlighted by a 2-run double from Camilucci and an RBI single from Tucker.
But the game got tense in the top of the seventh when Mason plated two runners on and leadoff double, error and a single with no outs. Matters got worse after a 2-run double with one out and another error, making it a 3-run game. With the bases loaded Warren came on and retired two of the three batters he faced, giving up only an RBI fielder’s choice to preserve the much sought after win.
“It was kind of crazy with the bases loaded and only up by two, but that’s what you play for,” Warren said. “I was hyped, ready to go and have been ready to pitch all season. I was excited to get in there.”
On the night Utz was 2 for 4 with three runs scored. Warren went 3 for 5 with two runs scored and three stolen bases. Camilucci was 2 for 4 with four RBI. Tucker was 2 for 4 with two RBI and two stolen bases. Honiker also went 2 for 4. Each Mountaineer batter had a hit and eight of their nine batters had either an RBI or a run scored.
Madison (2-6, 1-1 Bull Run District) hosts Central Woodstock on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
“We’ve now got the home and district win, check,” Londrey said. “Now they know they can do this. I have no doubt they can win this whole thing. They just need to start realizing that they’re as good as we see in them. When they realize that, they’ll be no nervous wreck seventh innings.”
