Glenvar baseball propels itself into state quarterfinals
The team's turnaround this season was extended with a win Friday over Grayson County.
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Saturday, June 1, 2013
PULASKI — Glenvar’s baseball team may have gotten off to a slow start this season, but it was determined to get off to a fast one Friday night — and did.
The Highlanders batted around in the first inning, putting five runs on the board, and never looked back as they defeated Grayson County, 7-4, to win the Region C Division 2 Championship.
With the victory, Glenvar moves on to the state quarterfinals where it will host Gate City from Region D on Tuesday. The Blue Devils will also play Tuesday at Region D champion Honaker.
The victory continued an incredible rally for the Highlanders (13-9) who started their season 2-7.
“We’ve played tough competition, and it’s helped us right now,” Glenvar head coach Bill Wells said. “Our guys are playing with a lot of confidence. They think they can come out and get the job done against anybody right now.”
On Friday they got the job done in the first. Tyler Crockett led off with a double, which was followed by a walk to Alston Lucas and Austin Fox reaching on an infield error to load the bases. Cleanup hitter Zach Duncan followed with a two-run RBI double to left-center field that gave the Highlanders a lead they would not relinquish.
Glenvar scored three more runs in the inning in large part because of three Grayson County errors. For the night, the Blue Devils had five errors in the field.
“If you get rid of that [the errors] it would have been a good game. That’s all you need to say,” Grayson County assistant coach David Merideth said. Merideth stepped in for head coach Bill Worrel who was traveling out of the country.
After going up 5-0, Glenvar got a stellar performance on the mound from the combination of Kevin Steele and Crockett.
Through 6 1⁄ 3 innings Steele allowed four runs on five hits, while striking out seven. During one stretch between the end of the first and the sixth, Steele pitched hitless ball. He credited his team’s fast start to helping him with his success on the night.
“The early runs helped me calm down,” Steele said. “It makes you feel like you can trust your players.”
Steele did run into trouble in the seventh. Trailing 7-3, the Blue Devils (18-6) loaded the bases on three walks and brought the potential tying run to the plate. After getting one out in the frame, Steele was replaced by Crockett, who got the final two outs for the save.
“Crockett has really taken this team on his shoulders,” Wells said of his shortstop/pitcher. “He has been a great leader.”
Glenvar 500 110 0 — 7 8 0
Grayson County 200 001 1 — 4 5 5
Steele, Crockett (7) and DeHart. Cannaday, Hill (4), and Rodgers (4). W- Steele. L- Cannaday. S- Crockett.
1. 41-vehicle wreck ties up traffic Sunday on I-81 in Rockbridge County
2. Virginia Tech football roster has holes on picture day
3. Medicare penalties hit hospitals in Roanoke, New River Valleys
4. Arrest made in case of missing Nelson County teen
5. McFarling: 2 little numbers are a big hurdle for Virginia Tech football
6. Microfestivus beer event gets downtown Roanoke hopping
7. DAN CASEY: Copter cost still stirring up dust
8. WOYM: Fewer stinkbugs? You may have wasps to thank
9. Virginia attorney general's office grows under Ken Cuccinelli
10. Roanoke farmers markets making local foods more accessible
THE ROANOKE TIMES
