No. 4 Luray (11-10) will host No. 5 Strasburg (14-9) in Region 2B quarterfinal
By Randy Arrington
STRASBURG, May 24 — Fourth-seeded Luray overcame a five-run deficit to upset second-seeded Strasburg, 7-6, in the Bull Run District tournament championship on Friday. A huge double from LHS senior Cameron Weaver cleared the bases in the sixth and proved to be the difference in hard-fought game on both sides. Now, the two Bull Run teams face off again Monday in the quarterfinal round of the Region 2B tournament, as the No. 4 Bulldogs (11-10) will host the No. 5 Rams (14-9) at 1 p.m. on Memorial Day at Bulldog Field.
Luray began the season losing six of its first eight games. During that time, they also lost their top two pitchers — the two Landons, Vile and Wood. The combination of injuries and disruptions due to wildfires and weather (it even sleeted during one home game), produced less than pleasing results.
However, the Bulldogs have now won nine of their last 13 games heading into Monday’s Region 2B tournament.
“We ended the year 9-4, and we could have won those four games,” LHS coach Charlie Shepherd said after Friday’s big win. “We finished [the season] where I thought we would start…It’s the resilience of the kids. They could have folded up and went in the tank, but they didn’t…and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
In Friday’s rescheduled district championship, Strasburg jumped on the ‘Dawgs early, posting four runs off four hits in the first. Luray contributed a walk and an error for one unearned run to go along with an RBI-single from sophomore Brady Flynn, followed by a two-run single by junior Peyton Dean.
Luray took advantage of two walks and an RBI-single by sophomore Tanner Ellis to get on the board in the second inning, trailing 4-1. The Bulldogs lost an opportunity to add another score when a runner stalled going around third and was subsequently tagged out trying for home.
After stranding two runners in the first and one in the second, Luray would leave the bases loaded without scoring a run in the third. However, the Rams tacked on two more in the bottom of the third courtesy of a single to left field by Dean and took a 6-1 lead.
Both teams went scoreless in the fourth before Luray narrowed the score to 6-3 in the fifth following back-to-back RBI-singles by sophomores Nick Cubbage and Tristan Haddock.
In the sixth inning, Luray would send six batters to the plate before Strasburg could record a single out. Hood College-commit Landon Vile belted an RBI-single to left field to close the gap to 6-4. Three batters later, with the bases loaded and trailing by two…Weaver belted a blast to left-centerfield that was mishandled, allowing all three base runners to score and giving Luray the game’s final lead at 7-6.
The Bulldogs were lead at the plate by Weaver’s 2-for-4 effort that produced three RBI, while Cubbage went 2-for-3 with an RBI and both Haddock and Ellis went 1-for-3 with an RBI. Overall, Luray earned seven runs off nine hits and one Ram error, while stranding a total of 11 runners on base.
LHS senior Mason Seekford gets the win on the mound after four shutout innings in relief. Seekford gave up only two hits and two walks, while striking out two.
The Rams were lead by Dean, who went 2-for-3 with four RBI, while Flynn went 3-for-4 with an RBI. The Rams only other run was unearned. Overall, Strasburg picked up six runs off nine hits and two Luray errors, while stranding seven runners on base.
While Luray dropped a district home game to Strasburg, 14-2, on April 11, the last two meetings between the two teams has been tight, including a 9-7 decision for the Rams at home on May 8. That sets the stage for another close match-up on Monday in the Region 2B quarterfinal at Bulldog Field.
“It has been a long time since Luray has hosted a region tournament [baseball] game,” Coach Shepherd said. “So I’m looking forward to it…but tonight I’m going to enjoy this one.”
For schedules, rosters and results, check the Bull Run District website.
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