Shockers edge Braves 5-4

By Jen Chan
On Tuesday after opening weekend, the Montezuma Braves hosted the RCBL champions, the New Market Shockers at Ruritan Field and come away with a 5-4 victory.

The games started slow for both teams, going three up and three down. The top of the second with Valley Care Management player of the game, Brody Pickette launched the ball deep right center in a 3-0 count to start the Shockers with a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the second Bridgewater College Eagle Tristian Gordon lined in the 3-4 hole to give the Braves their first hit of the game. Kyle Armstrong battled against Kaden Spaid with an 11 pitch at bat, resulting in a walk.  With two runners aboard Thomas Smith grounded one to short stop Matt House and ended up reaching on an error that scored Gordon. Armstrong would later get out on a hit from Jacob Cude. Smith would later score off another error from House.

From both teams in the third inning there were two strikeouts, one walk, and two groundouts. With pitcher Spaid up to bat, he lined one right back to the pitcher Tucker Hensley, who smacked it down with his glove and threw it over to first basemen Conner Houser. The top of the fourth ended in groundouts. The bottom of the fourth inning started off with a clutch hit from Johnathan Sexton to left center field and ended up scoring off a sacrifice hit from Cude.

The Braves were able to score their final run of the game in the fifth inning from Isaiah Blanks. A hit from Hunter Clever advances Blanks to second. A wild pitch to Gordon, moves Blanks to third and later ends up scoring from an error from Ty Bennett.

The top of the sixth went well for the Shockers. Calvin Pastel started off with a lead off single down the middle of the infield. Jaden Click was hit by a pitch and got a pass to first. Lead-off hitter Henry Delavergne was walked, loading the bases for Spaid. Spaid hit a line drive down the right field line to score two runs to make the score 4-3. Pickette drove in the final two runs for the Shockers down the middle of the infield. Harrison Madagan would get hit to put Pickette on second. House would then single in the ¾ gap to load the bases with one out. To get the Braves out of the jam Gavin Rush would turn a double play to go 5-2-3 to end the inning.

Both teams were unable to connect their hits for the rest of the game, leaving at least one batter on base for the rest of the game.

House pitched four innings with five hits, one run, and five strikeouts takes the win, as Pastel takes the save with one inning pitched with two hits. Hensley takes the loss with six innings pitched with seven hits, five earned runs, and a strikeout.

New Market (3-0) will take on Clover Hill on Friday at Buck Bowman Park and Montezuma (0-2) will travel to Stuarts Draft on Saturday.