Sometimes a team just has your number and that was the case this year with Stuarts Draft over Riverheads. The Gladiators have lost only five games this season, but three of those were to the Cougars by a combined four runs, including tonight's 7-5 Shenandoah Tournament semi-final. The Cougars will now travel to Page Friday night for the tournament title game, after the Panthers knocked off East Rock 6-3.
SD did its major damage tonight in the top half of the second when they struck for five runs, highlighted by a three-run homer that just barely cleared the left field fence. Sorry but I did not catch the name of the guy that hit it.
Riverheads then had a golden opportunity for its own big inning in the bottom of the frame as they loaded the bases with only one out. However they only managed to score one run out of it.
The teams then traded single runs in the middle innings to make the score 6-2 entering the 7th. The Cougars pushed one more across to set the stage for a somewhat interesting final at-bat. Although trailing by five runs, Gladiator fans knew better than to leave after having witnessed an eight-run sixth inning the night before, especially since they knew that Mr. Grand Slam himself, Forrest Shuey, stood a good chance to have a final plate appearance.
Sure enough, the southpaw catcher came up to the plate with one out and two guys on, and drilled it over the right field fence for his seventh RBI in two games. But to the Cougars' credit, the rally ended rather quickly as they easily recorded the final two outs to move on to play Page.
The Panthers are probably licking their chops about the chance to avenge their one and only loss of the season. Regardless of how that one turns out, both teams will advance to the Region B, Class 2-A playoffs next week, while Riverheads, despite tonight's loss, holds down the number one seed for the Class 1-A playoffs. They are tentatively scheduled to host the winner of Stonewall/Rappahannock County next Wednesday, but that will of course depend on whether that earlier game can dodge the next batch of rain that is scheduled to start Saturday and last several days.
SD did its major damage tonight in the top half of the second when they struck for five runs, highlighted by a three-run homer that just barely cleared the left field fence. Sorry but I did not catch the name of the guy that hit it.
Riverheads then had a golden opportunity for its own big inning in the bottom of the frame as they loaded the bases with only one out. However they only managed to score one run out of it.
The teams then traded single runs in the middle innings to make the score 6-2 entering the 7th. The Cougars pushed one more across to set the stage for a somewhat interesting final at-bat. Although trailing by five runs, Gladiator fans knew better than to leave after having witnessed an eight-run sixth inning the night before, especially since they knew that Mr. Grand Slam himself, Forrest Shuey, stood a good chance to have a final plate appearance.
Sure enough, the southpaw catcher came up to the plate with one out and two guys on, and drilled it over the right field fence for his seventh RBI in two games. But to the Cougars' credit, the rally ended rather quickly as they easily recorded the final two outs to move on to play Page.
The Panthers are probably licking their chops about the chance to avenge their one and only loss of the season. Regardless of how that one turns out, both teams will advance to the Region B, Class 2-A playoffs next week, while Riverheads, despite tonight's loss, holds down the number one seed for the Class 1-A playoffs. They are tentatively scheduled to host the winner of Stonewall/Rappahannock County next Wednesday, but that will of course depend on whether that earlier game can dodge the next batch of rain that is scheduled to start Saturday and last several days.
