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Staunton "Storms" By Riverheads in Extra Inning Thriller

longtimerhsfan

VaPreps All Region
Dec 12, 2006
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Just last week, the Staunton Storm baseball team was floundering in last place, the only team in the Shenandoah that had not won a district game. They have apparently decided they did not like that position as they crossed the plate an astonishing 15 times in Friday's win at Fort Defiance, and then made it two wins a row tonight with a wildly improbable 7-6 come-from-behind home win over Riverheads.

In the first meeting between these two in Greenville, RHS had dominated from start to finish and rolled to a 16-0 five-inning "run rule" victory. At times tonight it appeared as if the Big Red was on its way to yet another shutout as they took a 6-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth inning. Staunton then started its rally by scoring two in the home half of the fifth, but when they failed to score in the bottom of the sixth, it appeared that a 6-2 Gladiator lead would be enough to hold on.

However to put it mildly, nothing went right for Riverheads the rest of the way and Staunton caught just about every break a team could catch to squeeze out the win. The 7th inning was especially bizarre as there were two huge collisions along the first base line and the visiting Gladiators got the worst end of both of them.

First in the top half of the inning, the leadoff man for Riverheads hit a sky-high pop up that finally came down along the first base line. However he collided with the first baseman who was attempting to field the ball. The impact caused the Staunton player to drop the ball and by rule the batter was called out. The Gladiators were not able to muster enough of an attack after that and Staunton came to bat, needing four runs to tie.

They quickly loaded the bases and got two of them to trim the lead to 6-4, but with Ryan Farris, the third Gladiator pitcher of the night on the mound, it appeared that Riverheads was going to get out of the jam as they recorded the next two outs, leaving Staunton facing a bases loaded situation. In the most dramatic possible fashion the Staunton hitter (sorry but it was impossible to keep up with names in this one!) hit an infield fly almost identical to the one RHS had just hit.

This time there was no collision involving the runner, but four, count 'em FOUR different Gladiators raced toward the first base line ready to put the ball away and take home the hard-earned 6-4 win. Unfortunately there was a major communication gap and two or maybe even more of them smacked into each other and the ball landed safely. With the crowd focusing its attention on the collision, it momentarily escaped everyone's notice that two Storm players had raced around to score and the game was not only tied, but the home team had men at the corners.

Riverheads got a fly out to end that threat and the game went to extra innings. That is when the Big Red caught its final bad break, although just about every Pride fan in attendance will tell you that it was more a case of poor officiating. Shortstop Aiden Miller, who had to that point played a terrific game, especially on defense, led off the eighth for Riverheads. He hit a high chopper to shortstop, which was momentarily bobbled. Miller, easily the fastest Gladiator on the field, zipped down to first and from the vantage point of a VERY vocal visiting crowd, he appeared to easily beat the throw.

But instead of RHS having that all-important lead-off man on base, the person whose opinion mattered the most called him out and even a couple Gladiator grandmas in attendance let out some not-so-grandmotherly words. That call seemed to take the wind out of the sails for Riverheads and they did not mount another serious threat in either the eighth or the ninth. Even then it appeared that we were headed to a 10th frame, when Staunton finally pulled it out with their hardest hit ball of the night, that found a gap just inside the fence and plated a man from third. I may be wrong on this detail but I think there were two outs at the time and the batter was down to his final strike when he delivered that game-winner.

For Staunton, they probably cannot WAIT to get back on the field, whenever that may be, and try to build on their two-game win streak. Even though they took their time finding their mojo, they are probably fired up enough to make things tough for anyone else on their schedule and make some playoff noise if they should make the cut.

For Riverheads, a disappointing loss for sure, but it would not exactly be fair to say that they are in a slump. After all this was only their third loss of the season, which have been by a total of four runs, and two of them went into extra innings. So a little strategy session in which they focus on "finishing" games might have the Big Red right back in the Class One title picture when the time comes.

One thing is for sure, they don't have time to dwell on this one, as they have Parry McCluer coming to Greenville Wednesday and Fort Defiance on Friday. Their final two district games against Buffalo Gap and Stuarts Draft are set for next Monday and Wednesday, leaving a make-up home game with Wilson still to fit in there somewhere. Needless to say, this shortened pandemic-impacted season is going to be just as frantic as it has been in every other sport this year.
 
Maybe some people in Greenville should sign up to officiate high school sports? Seems every write up they know way more than the people brave enough to get out there and actually do it. I am sure we could find out the commissioners for football basketball and baseball for you.
 
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