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Tunstall pitcher Joe Mantiply delivers during Thursday night's championship game at Bassett. The Trojans won 12-2 over the Bengals. (Bulletin photo by Mike Wray) |
Friday, May 22, 2009
By JOHNNY BUCK - Bulletin Sports Editor
Tunstall coach Barry Shelton hoped Bassett would provide a good test for his team in the Piedmont District Tournament finals Thursday at Hooker Field.
For more than half the game, he got his wish.
Bassett scored twice in the top of the fourth inning, and pitcher Patrick Martin retired the side in the bottom of the frame to give BHS momentum despite trailing 4-2.
Tunstall stole it back quickly, however, as the Trojans closed with eight unanswered runs on the way to a 12-2 win.
The victory marked the Trojans’ eighth consecutive PD tournament title.
“They were fired up. They were ready to play, and it was a good game for about four or five innings,” said THS coach Barry Shelton of Bassett.
“We wanted to play in a game like this tonight,” he continued. “We needed it to get ready for next week.”
The Trojans (19-1 overall, 8-0 PD) will host a Region IV Tournament game Tuesday as they seek the program’s fifth state title, and its first since 2005.
Bassett (11-10 overall, 4-4 PD) has also qualified for regionals, and while BHS coach Bill Parks would have enjoyed hoisting the district title hardware, his sights were already set on Tuesday’s 5 p.m. regional tournament home game against the Southwest District’s fourth-seeded team, he said.
That was clear when Parks pulled starting pitcher Patrick Martin in the fifth due to a high pitch count.
“Tonight would’ve been nice to have, but we needed him (Martin) for Tuesday,” said Parks.
Martin took the loss after throwing 4 2/3 innings. He struck out five, giving up eight hits, two walks and seven earned runs.
Mantiply, a Virginia Tech signee, lived up to his substantial billing. The THS senior worked six innings and struck out 10, scattering two hits and allowing two earned runs.
Brett Hylton come on in relief in the seventh inning to strike out the side for Tunstall.
Offensively, the Trojans’ Cody Holder led the way with a 4-for-4 performance that included an RBI triple and three runs scored. Teammate Shawn Clowers went 3-for-3 with a walk and three runs, while designated hitter Wesley Marshall was 2-for-4 with four RBI.
Bassett’s Paris Ragan was 1-for-3 with a run. Dustin Hardy went 1-for-2, and Boo Woods was 0-for-2 with a walk and one run scored.
Parks felt his players might have been too “pumped up” during the first inning, when Tunstall got a quick 4-0 lead. Regardless, he was happy with the grit shown when they “kicked, scratched and clawed” their way back into the game.
Thursday’s loss didn’t end the season, but a Tuesday defeat would.
“I’m proud of them. I really am,” Parks said of his team’s performance in the district tournament, “but our focus is on Tuesday.”
Patrick County 14
Magna Vista 0
It’s not often a game is won or lost in the first inning.
Then again, you don’t see many 14-run leads entering the top of the second.
Patrick County took advantage of Magna Vista’s early pitching struggles to score 14 first-inning runs on the way to a 14-0 win Thursday in the consolation game of the Piedmont District Tournament at Hooker Field.
The game was called after five innings due to the mercy rule.
“It just wasn’t our day on the mound,” said MVHS coach Rick Ramey. “We pretty much lost the game in the first inning. … Too many walks and hit batters.”
Magna Vista starter Chris Ramey, who had made just two appearances this season while battling an elbow injury, lasted just 1/3 of an inning and faced eight batters.
He walked five, beaned one, gave up a bunt single and allowed seven earned runs. One batter reached base on a fielding error.
Five batters scored twice for PCHS (13-7 overall, 6-2 PD). Jacob Reynolds was 2-for-2 with two runs scored and a walk. Jesse Belcher went 1-for-2 with a double, a walk and two runs scored, while Parker Heath was 1-for-2 with a single, a walk and two runs.
“Their pitcher struggled a little bit,” said PCHS coach Terry Harris. “We got some balls to hit, and we hit them pretty hard early. We swung the bats well in the first inning.”
Heath got the win for the Cougars. He started the game and threw three innings of no-hit ball, striking out four and never allowing a Warrior on the basepaths.
Magna Vista reliever Brandon Bartholomew gave up six hits and seven earned runs in the first inning but settled down afterward, facing just 11 batters over the game’s final three innings. He struck out five.
The win earned the second-seeded Cougars (13-7 overall, 6-2 PD) a berth in the Region IV Tournament. They will play at the Southwest District’s No. 3 seed on Monday, Harris said.
Magna Vista’s loss concluded its season. Despite battling injuries throughout the year, Ramey was proud of his team, which finished with an overall record of 3-21 (2-6 PD).
“They showed a lot of character and a lot of heart this season,” Ramey said. “I’m very proud of them for battling the whole season. They’ve impressed me from that standpoint.”
MVHS seniors Guy Holdaway, Jake Arnold, Zach Crews, Ramey and Bartholomew have finished their varsity careers.
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