Pitching, defense defends

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July 6, 2012

Pitching, defense defends

Lewis Junior needs just one run to hold on to District 6 title

Ray Schaefer For The Independent The Daily Independent Fri Jul 06, 2012, 06:00 AM EDT

VANCEBURG — Lewis County and Ashland National scored a combined 28 runs in their first two Junior League District 6 baseball tournament games.

So of course, Thursday's third and deciding game was a pitching and defensive duel, and Lewis County is off to LaGrange July 20 to defend its state title with a 1-0 win at Michael S. Foreman Field.

Did Lewis County coach David Skidmore think one run would decide things? No, but he's comfortable with that.

“I'd rather take the pitching and defense over hitting any day,” Skidmore said.

Turns out Lewis County scored the only run it needed in the first inning.

Shortstop Austin Evans tripled over Ashland center fielder Casey Clark's head. Clark mishandled the ball near the center field fence, and following an errant relay throw, Evans safely tumbled over Ashland catcher Zach Webb.

At first, Skidmore held Evans at third.

“About the time I was getting to third, he told me to go,” Evans said. “(Webb) was farther up the line than I thought he would be, so I couldn't get around him because I didn't have the right angle.

“So I jumped over him and hoped for the best; I got (home plate) with my elbow.”

Ashland's afternoon could be summarized in two words: missed chances.

“I don't want to know how many I left on base,” Ashland coach Joe Duvall said. “We hit it right at them.”

Ashland stranded 10, including bases loaded in the second and third innings and two on in the sixth.

The final score hardly overshadowed Ashland pitcher Hunter Sansom's performance the last two games. Tuesday, he shut out Lewis County for 1 2/3 innings and earned a save in his team's 8-6 win and he followed that yesterday with six strikeouts and retiring the final 12 he faced.

“He pitched well,” Duvall said. “He should've had the win. I never dreamed it would be a one-run game. I'm proud of my boys.”

Lewis County pitcher Trenton Walker had just an infield single two days ago. Last night, he struck out four on just four hits with two walks and a hit batter.

“It's been a while since he's pitched,” Skidmore said before the game. “He's always been a little wild, (but) middle school ball's the best I've seen him.”

Walker struck out two in the first inning, but in the second, he committed two errors when he bobbled a Hunter Adams grounder and sailed the throw past first baseman Jalen Prater, putting Adams at second base. Two outs later, Ashland left fielder Tanner Runyon singled to center and Webb walked, but Walker struck out Cody Blevins on a called third strike.

In the fifth, Walker and Prater combined a defensive gem.

With two out, Prater dove to his right, snagged and bobbled a Jesse Menshouse grounder. Prater flipped the ball to a covering Walker for the out. “I was having trouble thinking if it was (second baseman Austin Rucker's) ball; I took a chance,” he said.

Walker wasn't sure he reached first in time.

“I really didn't know I caught it,” he said. “It rolled to me, right into my glove.”

After Walker reached his 95-pitch limit (he threw 99) with two out in the seventh, Rucker faced Josh Bradley. He threw a change up to set up a 3-2 count, then ended the game when Bradley missed a down-the-middle fastball.

“Two-seam fastball down the pipe,” Rucker said. “I wanted to go right at him, get it done.”

Amid parents snapping pictures and players dousing splashing water on coaches and themselves with overturned buckets and squirt guns, Skidmore talked about about how his team beat Ashland two years ago to advance to state and its 1-3 record in last year's regional tournament in Fort Wayne, Ind.

“This year,” Skidmore said, “we want to go farther.”

A. NATIONAL 000 000 0 — 0 4 1

LEWIS CO. 100 000 x — 1 2 3

Sansom and Webb; Walker, Rucker (7) and Wallingford. W—Walker. L—Sansom. Sv—Rucker. 3B—Adams (LC).

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Pitching, defense defends

Lewis Junior needs just one run to hold on to District 6 title

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