Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 19, 1993 TAG: 9306190117
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Highlanders, for whom the late innings have been magical throughout a remarkable postseason, saw all their luck turn sour in the latter stages of their Group A state championship game against Rappahannock.
The Raiders rallied for three runs in the last four innings, the last coming in a horror show of an eighth inning for Glenvar, to win 4-3 at Salem High School.
The Highlanders (16-5-1), who had won four consecutive games in their last at-bat, rallied again on Jason Anderson's one-out double in the bottom of the eighth. But they couldn't get him home.
The Raiders (21-2), who had not gotten out of Region A in seven consecutive tries, had their first state title in baseball and the first for their region. Glenvar saw its 16-game winning streak snapped and began a long summer of heartache.
"We were probably lucky to win that one," Rappahannock coach Ken Blackley said. "But mistakes are a part of baseball."
Mistakes. Boo-boos. Gaffes. Errors. Glenvar had five of them - three by shortstop Tim Carroll in the nightmare eighth - and they led to three unearned runs.
"We just didn't play any defense at all," Highlanders coach Larry Wood said. "I've always been a believer that defense wins ballgames."
It can lose them, too, as Glenvar learned to its dismay.
The Highlanders were leading 3-1 in the fifth when Rappahannock began its comeback. Anderson put two on with walks, the second with two out. Then, Justin Bunch hit the ball up the middle as one run came across. The throw to the plate was late and Bunch bolted for second, while Jason Morris, the lead runner, broke for third. Catcher Joey Hutton tried to nail Bunch at second, but the throw hit the runner and Morris scored to tie it.
The eighth inning brought more misfortune for Glenvar.
Leadoff hitter Curtis Packett reached on a routine bouncer to short that Carroll hurled over first base. With one out, another error at short put another runner on base. Then, Terrance Taylor hit a slow grounder to second baseman Trevor Willis, who flipped to Carroll for the force. Carroll, playing aggressively, went for the double play at first, but the throw was off the mark again as the eventual winning run came home.
Glenvar went down 1-0 in the first when Rappahannock executed a delayed double steal as the run scored, with the trailing runner caught in a rundown between first and second.
But the Highlanders countered in the bottom of the inning with Carroll's leadoff triple, an intentional walk to Anderson and David Henderson's two-run single. Glenvar added to the lead in the fourth on a two-out single bounced up the middle by No. 9 batter Brian Snead with the bases loaded.
Even with the crushing developments in the top of the eighth, Glenvar looked as though it might have one more rally left in it with the heart of the order - Hutton, Anderson, Rob Robinson and, maybe, Henderson - scheduled to bat.
"We've been doing it all year," Anderson said. "We had a runner in scoring position this time, but it just didn't work out."
Morris polished off Robinson and Henderson with his eighth and ninth strikeouts to end it.
"I gave it all I had," the pitcher said.
The Raiders faithful, who came across the state to be there, gave it all they had in celebration.
"It's going to be a short ride home," Blackley said.
Anderson, who struck out 11, walked six and picked off three runners, deserved better.
"We haven't seen anything like him all year," Blackley said.
Wood just shook his head.
"The things we've asked him to do the last month . . . " he said of Anderson, who pitched on two days' rest twice in a week. "I'm very proud of him. I'm very proud of them all." Rappahannock 10002001-441 Glenvar 20010000-355
Morris and Sichol; Anderson and Hutton. W-Morris (10-1). L-Anderson (10-2).
by CNB