Veteran Players Lead the Way for Clover Hill

By Mitchell Broughton
It was Christmas in July last night at Buck Bowman Park and the Clover Hill fans not only got the gift of a 8-5 win over Bridgewater, but also a treat of witnessing some star performances.

On the mound for the Bucks were fan-favorites Nick Corbin and Eric Yankey. Corbin started out the game. Throwing five innings, he struck out four and gave up five hits and two runs. Coming in for another save opportunity in the eight inning, Eric Yankey did what he does best. Yankey finished the game with five strikeouts, no walks, and just two hits — amounting to his second save of 2020.
 
On offense, it was all Tyler Bocock. The shortstop reached base on all five of his appearances at the plate. In the bottom of the fourth, with two outs and bases loaded, it was Bocock who stepped up to the plate and sent a blast over the left field wall for a grand slam to break the 3-3 tie. Bocock finished the game with two hits and five RBIs.
 
Also stepping up at bat for the Bucks were Bryce Suters and Blake Sipe. Suters, a JMU commit, had a double in the second inning, successfully stole three of the team’s seven stolen bases, and scored twice. Sipe at center field had two singles and scored twice as well.
 
For the Bridgewater Reds, George Laase had quite the game in front of a group of spectators that one would assume to be his personal fan club by the cheers. Laase started out the game in the top of the first with a 2-RBI double to right field, scoring himself off of a Tanner Moyers sac fly. Derek Shifflett was also crucial to the Reds last night, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Shifflett also came in to pitch to regain control of the seventh inning, striking out two batters. 

Bridgewater moves to 3-2 on the year with both losses to Clover Hill. The Bucks improve to 4-1 and are now in a three-way tie for first place with Grottoes and Broadway. These two teams will face off for the final time in the regular season on Sunday July 5 at Buck Bowman Park, where Bridgewater will be the home team to the “visiting” Clover Hill Bucks.

FINAL: Clover Hill 8 Bridgewater 5. Winning pitcher: Nick Corbin. Losing pitcher: Tyler Showalter. Saving pitcher: Eric Yankey.
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Around the County League: Two rather exciting games also took place last night. At Rebel Field in New Market, Matt Meiser’s go-ahead RBI double in the top of the ninth propelled the Broadway Bruins (4-1) past the New Market Shockers (2-3) for the second time this season 9-6. Broadway’s Tyler Ault was 5-for-5 on the evening with a double and Chase DeLauter had two hits of his own, including a triple in the third inning that scored two. Luke Estep had a RBI double for the Shockers. 

Late inning heroics continued in the County League as Montezuma’s Jeremy Wagner had a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to win the game for the Braves over the visiting Elkton Blue Sox 14-13. Wagner finished the game with three hits and five RBIs. Lee Carneal and Will Decker combined for five hits, 6 RBIs and 5 runs for the Blue Sox. That game moved Montezuma (2-4) ahead of Elkton (1-4) in the league standings.

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