Sports
UPCOMING EVENTS
04
29 2022
Baseball/Softball: Hanover at Atlee 6:00 p.m./6:00 p.m.
04
29 2022
Baseball/Softball: Mechanicsville at Patrick Henry 6:00 p.m./6:00 p.m.
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Mustang baseball ekes out win at Atlee By Rob Witham for The Local MECHANICSVILLE — When opportunity presents itself, be ready. In a game that mirrored the two participants’ seasons thus far, the Mechanicsville Mustangs took full advantage of their opportunity, while the Atlee Raiders did not, resulting in a come-from-behind 6-4 win at Atlee Friday night to move the Mustangs to 8-2. “We knew it was going to be a battle,” said Mechanicsville head coach Tyler Johnson. “We’ve been in dogfights all week. We were both hungry to get back on the field. They played well, and we played well. We just did a few more things than they did.” For the Mustangs, it was a matter of not getting down on yourself after watching the Raiders grab a lead that had been held by the Mustangs since the top of the third inning. Mechanicsville scrapped and clawed its way to a 3-0 lead, beginning with back-toback bunts by Grayson Moore and C.J. DiNapoli which placed each on base. Ethan Serrano’s single scored Moore, then an RBI fielder’s choice from Cam Lamb scored DiNapoli. Aaron Maxie completed the scoring with a sacrifice fly to plate Serrano. It was 3-0 Mustangs. But just as Atlee starter John Best had his struggles in the top of the frame, Mechanicsville’s Sam Owens fought through the bottom of the inning, as the Raiders
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Joel Klein for The Local
Mechanicsville’s Leanna Bartrug is tagged out at the plate by Atlee catcher Bailey Buckholz as she tries to score on an error in the Raiders’ 4-1 victory Friday night.
answered. Catcher Chase Chamberlain doubled, then pinch runner Miguel Montoya advanced to third on a Mechanicsville error. With two in scoring position, Landon Scott’s sacrifice fly scored Montoya, and Gunnar Stromberg’s single over third base plated Chase Sanford. After three innings, the Mechanicsville lead was 3-2. In the fifth, Owens walked two batters and hit another. With the bases jammed, Nathan Westfall took the hill. Stromberg was ready for him, as his two-RBI single gave the Raiders a 4-3 advantage, their
The Mechanicsville Local
April 27, 2022
first lead of the night. Another walk loaded the bases again, but Westfall got out of the jam, which proved to be a pivotal moment in the game. Mechanicsville’s answer in the sixth inning was three runs thanks to a Serrano sacrifice fly, a Lamb single, and an Atlee error on a fly ball to left field. Now it was time to finish, and Johnson turned to a familiar face. Longwood commit Dallas Hairfield toed the rubber for the final two innings. He cruised in the sixth but lost a battle with Sanford to open the seventh, as Chase fouled off pitch after
pitch, then sent a single up the middle. Hairfield answered with two strikeouts. But Bronson Davis singled, and the potential winning run came to the plate. The Mustang veteran, however, stood firm, earning a final strikeout and the victory for the Mustangs. “Once we took the lead, Dallas was our man because he wants the ball in that situation,” Johnson explained. “He’s been building all year, learned a lot already, and 10 games in, he’s been in some big situations.” For Atlee, now 3-6, the loss ended a two-night period of
heartbreak, after dropping a 2-1 extra-inning affair Thursday against upstart Varina. With the top 12 teams out of 17 in Region 4B qualifying for the postseason, the losses, while hurting the Raiders’ playoff chances, will also give the squad motivation as they move forward with home contests Thursday against Henrico and Friday versus Hanover. For the Mustangs, the win keeps them within striking distance of current region leader King George, just behind Chancellor and with Hanover breathing down their neck. Johnson is thankful for the 8-2
start but knows there is plenty of baseball to be played. “I thought tonight was our best offensive night, one through nine,” Johnson said. “If we can continue to build on that, I can’t wait until game 15, game 20.” After playing game 11 against Highland Springs Monday, game 12 sends the Mustangs to their oldest rival, Patrick Henry, on Friday. Atlee softball wins MECHANICSVILLE — Atlee pitcher Carsen Sanders see BASEBALL, pg. 18
