RCBL Recap 7/6

By Dean Barker

​Bridgewater utilized an eight inning, eleven strikeout shutout performance from Chris Huffman to beat the RCBL Shockers 5-0 and take the first half title. With the win, Bridgewater improved to 12-5, while the Shockers fell to 13-6 and finished the first half in second place.

“I just worked on getting ahead and putting hitters away when I had the chance to,” Huffman said. “(The) big thing (was) keeping guys off the bags, and, you know, limiting my walks, because they do have a couple of speedy guys who can take bags whenever they want to.”

The game was the closest of the three games these two teams have played, with the score 2-0 until a seventh inning three run blast from Reds right fielder Corbin Lucas sealed the deal.

“I was already 0-3, so screw it, what’d I have to lose? I’m just going to swing out of my shoes,” Lucas said. “I got one up in the air, the wind didn’t hurt it or help it, and it was enough to get out.”

The Reds will open the second half at the Broadway Bruins on Sunday, July 9 at 6:30 pm. The Shockers will return to action when they host the Stuarts Draft Diamondbacks on Tuesday, July 11 at 7:30 pm.

The Stuarts Draft Diamondbacks came alive with two runs an inning in the fourth, fifth and sixth to defeat the Grottoes Cardinals 6-1. With the win, the Diamondbacks finished the first half at 8-12 and seventh place, while the Cardinals fell to 11-9 and ended the first half in fifth.

Trevor Vernon picked up the win to improve to 1-1, pitching seven shutout innings with four hits, two walks and six strikeouts. Tucker Garrison took the loss to fall to 4-3, giving up six runs (five earned) on twelve hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

Logan Duff went 2-4 with two RBIs from a fifth inning home run to lead the D-Backs. Ryan Farris was also 2-4 with two RBIs. Grayson Bush went 4-4 with an RBI. For the Cardinals, Whit Scafidi went 2-4 with one RBI off a ninth inning solo home run.

The Diamondbacks will start the second half at the RCBL Shockers on Tuesday, July 11 at 7:30 pm. The Cardinals will host the Elkton Blue Sox on Tuesday, July 11 at 7:30 pm.

The Broadway Bruins were leading the Clover Hill Bucks 6-2 in the bottom of the third inning when electrical and lightning delays forced the game to be resumed later. 

Jaylon Lee hit a two run home run for the Bruins in the top of the third. RBI singles from Luke Shifflett and TJ Johnson cut the Broadway lead to 6-2 in the bottom half before the delays ensued.

The game will be made up from where it left off on Saturday, July 22 at Clover Hill. A time is to be determined. The Bruins finished the first half 11-7 and in fourth, while the Bucks finished 11-6 and in third place. Broadway will begin the second half at home against the first-place Bridgewater Reds on Sunday, July 9 at 6:30 pm. The Bucks will open the second half at home against the Montezuma Braves on Tuesday, July 11 at 7:30 pm.

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