Massanutten Wins Game One in Extras

By Nolan Potts
Massanutten tied the game in the ninth and then won it in the bottom of the tenth as the Mountaineers took game one of the quarterfinal series from Stuarts Draft by a score of 3-2 in ten innings.

It was a classic pitcher’s duel for most of the night between Massanutten’s Kirk Messick and Stuarts Draft’s Parker Heinemann. The Diamondbacks scored two runs in the fourth off of Messick to make 2-0 Draft, but that would all they’d be able to muster against the veteran left-hander. He went 7.2 innings, allowed just four hits with those two runs (one earned) and struck out nine on 130 pitches.

Heinemann was equally as impressive. He went eight innings, allowed seven hits, two runs, and struck out six on 126 pitches.

Massanutten finally got on the board in the seventh on an RBI single from shortstop Matt House to make it 2-1.

In the ninth, the Mountaineers loaded the bases with no outs. Jaden Click led off the inning with a walk, which forced Heinemann out of the game and brought Job Harrell in from the bullpen. Kaden Spaid then laid down a perfect bunt for a single, and then Matt House drew a walk. Nick Arnold would hit a sacrifice fly to center field to bring home Click and move Spaid up to third base. Dawson Russell then hit a hard ground ball up the middle that second baseman Daniel Jones made a nice play on and threw Spaid out trying to score the winning run. Harrell then struck out pinch hitter Mason Sawyers to send the game to extras.

Will Decker led off the tenth with a single off Andrew Baugher. Baugher then struck out Caden Richter, intentionally walked Chaz Harvey, struck out Charle Pausic, walked Ezra Andres, and then induced a ground ball to third base. The throw to first was low, but first baseman Conner Houser scooped it out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the tenth, Houser singled to lead off the inning and was replaced by pinch runner Dominic Pancione. Nate Brookshire then walked, and Kaplan Ambrose was hit by a pitch. Jaden Click struck out for the first out of the inning, but Spaid drew a bases-loaded walk on a 3-2 count to walk it off and scored Pancione.

Baugher got the win in relief, going the final 2.1 innings, allowing no runs, one hit, and striking out three.

House went 2-3 with a triple and an RBI, while Houser went 2-5.

For the Diamondbacks, Harvey and Pausic each had two hits, while Decker and Ryan Jones each added one hit. 

Game 2 of the series is Thursday night at Stuarts Draft. If the Mountaineers win, they’ll advance to the semifinals against Clover Hill. If the Diamondbacks win, game three will be Friday night at Spotswood High School.

---