varsity.roanoke.com

BUCHANAN --Fourteen high school baseball innings were scheduled. Seven were played. That was fine with Glenvar -- seven was all the Highlanders needed.

Behind a complete game from Anthony Ratliff and offensive production up and down the lineup, the Highlanders decked Grayson County 10-4 in a VHSL Group A Region C semifinal.

It was the third time Glenvar (19-1) has beaten the Blue Devils this year and it propelled the Highlanders back into next week's state tournament. First the Highlanders will engage the winner of the other semifinal for the regional title.

It would have been nice to know who that winner was but inconveniently, host James River and Chilhowie were unable to compete.

Continuing a weather pattern that has played havoc with the tournament schedule this week, rain threatened all afternoon but didn't fall until right before players in the second game were scheduled to begin infield. The soaked diamond couldn't take another drop.

Thus, the other semifinal will be played 6 p.m. today, same venue. That pushes the final to Saturday, game time to be announced.

Glenvar has played a lot of baseball in a short amount of time. The Highlanders didn't get out of town until after 11 p.m. after edging Covington 6-4 Wednesday night. The Cougars played inspired baseball and the general feeling was if the Highlanders, not at their best to begin with, had dodged one. The question was, what would they have left after having to use pitching ace Eric Austin in relief Wednesday?

The answer was more than enough. Junior right-hander Ratliff, who has been the Highlanders No. 3 starter all year, checked the Devils (13-8) on five hits, striking out eight and walking two in a complete game performance.

"He's 16-1, career," Glenvar coach Billy Wells said. "It's nice to be able to call on a guy like that for a third starter."

Ratliff had some tight spots to deal with, particularly in the first inning when an opening pitch fielding error at second set the stage for a two-run Grayson County uprising. Ratliff pitched his way out of it, leaving the bases loaded.

After leading 4-2 and retiring 10 in a row from the second to the fifth, Jessup Lambert and Tyler Rutherford, the first two batters in the Devils order, had consecutive singles to spark another big inning. Rutherford drove in one run and another came home when Cody Underwood, aboard on a fielders choice, executed the tail end of double steal and hustled home.

The four runs were all Grayson County scored in three games with Glenvar this year.

While Ratliff was struggling in the fifth, Wells called time and went and had a chat with him.

The bases were loaded. Ratliff said that didn't bother him.

"Actually, I like to pitch with the bases loaded," he said. "You've got an out at every base."

Glenvar retaliated in its half of the frame. No. 9 hitter Brad Gallagher, leadoff man Eddy Kasper, and Ratliff went double-triple-double, the latter two hitters each driving in runs. As the onslaught continued, Jonathan McGhee added an RBI single, Jared Clay chipped in a run-scoring sacrifice fly, and Kyle Horne, who had reached on a walk, scored on a wild pitch. That made it 9-4, and Grayson was pretty much kaput.

Grayson County 200 020 0 -- 4 5 2

Glenvar 130 510 x -- 10 11 2

Sells, Brown (5), Rutherford (6) and Graham. Ratliff and Strickland. W -- Ratliff. L -- Sells