By
John Harvey
PURCEVILLE
– For the second year in a row, Williamsburg Post 39’s season ends in extra
innings at the American Legion baseball state tournament.
Leesburg
Post 34 scored three runs with two outs, including a two-run single from Danny
Pugh off reliever Michael Brumfield in the bottom of the 10th inning
to advance to the semifinals.
“It
was a great game, the intensity was there the whole time,” said outfielder Tyler
Klinedinst. “It was back-and-forth and we showed great character coming back.”
Williamsburg
(20-2) trailed 1-0 after four innings before scoring runs in the next two
innings.
Matt
Smith reached on an error to start the fifth and moved to third on a wild pitch
and a stolen base. The William and Mary product scored on an error by the
pitcher to tie the game at 1-1.
In
the sixth, Klinedinst and Solomon McCray led off with back-to-back singles to
start the inning. Mikey Anerton followed with a sacrifice fly to take a 2-1
lead.
Leesburg
answered with five runs in the bottom of the inning to build a 6-2 advantage.
The Rangers loaded the bases with no outs and back-to-back errors allowed three
runs to score. Mikey Pugh and Tyler Richards drove in runs in the inning.
Post
39 continued to battle. The Wildflowers scored three runs in the top of the
eighth inning to trim the lead to 6-5. Michael Brumfield and Jordan Hackney
drove in runs to keep them in the game.
The
comeback continued in the ninth. Austin Carter led off the inning with a
triple. Klinedinst followed with a sacrifice fly to tie the game and force
extra innings.
Williamsburg
Post 39 scored two more in the Top of the 10th to take the lead.
Hackney and Brumfield were again the catalysts, driving in runs.
Leesburg
answered with runners with a rally of their own. The Rangers had runners on
first and third with two outs. One run scored on a balk. Two batters later,
Pugh followed with a seeing-eye single through the midfield to score a pair and
end the game.
“Nothing
but fight on this team and respect for one another,” Klinedinst said. “After
being on Legion for five years, this was my favorite season and team. This wasn’t
just a baseball team, but a group of great guys and coaches working together to
reach our goals.”
Contact
me at HarveySports757@yahoo.com
or via @HarveySports757 on Twitter.
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