By John Harvey
DELTAVILLE – Williamsburg Post 39’s baseball team scored
10 runs in the top of the ninth inning Tuesday night to rally for a 16-12
victory over Middlesex Post 241 in Deltaville
Collan Cryts sparked the comeback with a two-run single
as the Wildflowers extended their winning streak to eight in a row.
“I had gone down 0-2 (in the count) and I knew he was
going to come back with his curveball,” Cryts explained. “So I stayed back and
roped it up the middle to score two runs. My game-winning RBI doesn’t happen
without great pitching performances Blake Otey and Matt Smith to keep them from
scoring and giving our guys a chance to make the epic comeback in the ninth.”
Post 39 (8-0) has rarely been challenged this season,
winning five of their games by nine or more runs. Tuesday’s contest was a differently
story, as Middlesex led 12-2 lead after four innings. Matthew Harris had three
hits and scored three runs and Blake Walker added three hits and drove in a
pair for Middlesex.
Designated hitter Jordan Hackney the early deficit served
as a wake-up call. “We didn’t want to lose, period,” he said “We had been getting
comfortable with 10-run wins, so it’s humbling to have to fight down to your
last strike.”
The comeback started in the seventh inning as
Williamsburg erupted for four runs to cut the lead to 12-6. Hackney drove in
two runs with a single to right field. Christopher Jones reached on an error,
allowing two other players to score in the inning.
“We knew we were going to score, it was just a matter of
time,” Smith said “We got a couple of runs in the seventh and we had bases
loaded in the eighth and we knew we could put up big numbers when we needed to.
We played with a fire in the last three innings.”
Post 39 sent 16 players to the plate in the ninth inning
and scored 10 runs to complete the comeback. Down to their final strike, Cryts
roped a single to center to score Tyler Klinedinst and Matt Smith to give
Williamsburg a 14-12 lead. Kent Klyman followed with a two-run double to center
to add a pair of insurance runs.
“Collan wasn’t even expecting to play, but he came in
when Griffin (Colorado’s) legs cramped up,” Hackney said. “He got it done after
sitting in the dugout for seven innings, which was really impressive. But give
credit to Griffin too. He has been hitting the ball well and does a great job
behind the plate He’s a team player knowing his condition and giving up his
spot to hit.”
Smith pitched four shutout innings of relief to earn the
win. The William and Mary product struck out seven, including two in the bottom
of the ninth.
Klyman had two hits and drove in three runs to pace the
Wildflowers’ offense. Smith and Hackney had two hits and scored three runs
apiece. Colorado also had two hits.
Hackney said his team needed a game like Tuesday’s. “This
will help us get (our offense) started earlier in the game,” he said. “It will
also assure us that we don’t need to press, (because) we are capable of coming
back (on teams).”
Smith agreed. We aren’t going to roll over for anyone, at
any level of competition,” he said. “It’s always nice to keep streaking, but
this team expects to win every game we play.”
Williamsburg Post 39 will play Poquoson Post 273 on
Thursday at Poquoson High School. Game time is 7 p.m.
Contact me at HarveySports757@yahoo.com or via Twitter @HarveySports757.
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