By Randy Arrington
LURAY, May 14 — The visiting Falcons of Central earned two important runs in the first inning of Tuesday’s drizzly district matchup with Luray. The Bulldogs could only muster two runs themselves and fell, 4-2, in their final game before the Bull Run District tournament next week.
Bull Run baseball is wide open this postseason. Nearly every squad in the eight-team draw could potentially rise to the top over three games next week. However, the seedings of Monday’s quarterfinals are far from settled. The two top seeds will fight for No. 1 and No. 2 when Madison (9-4) travels to Strasburg (9-4) on Thursday. Page (7-6) and Clarke (7-6) will be battling for the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds, as the Panthers travel to Rappahannock (3-9) on Friday and the Eagles host Mt. View (4-9) on Thursday (special time listed – 2 p.m.). Central (6-7) hosts Rapp on Wednesday, while Luray (7-7) remains idle until Monday.
Once the dust settles, the Bull Run District Tournament will kick off with the higher seed hosting quarterfinal round matchups on Monday, May 20; followed by semifinal round action at the higher seed on Tuesday, May 21; and the Bull Run tournament championship will be hosted by the higher seed on Thursday, May 23.
During Tuesday’s soggy matchup with Central, the Falcons quickly disrupted Luray’s Senior Day with three hits in the first that produced a 2-0 lead. Central got doubles from seniors Christian Kelican and Allen Brill (RBI), as well as an RBI-single from senior Clayton Sherman.
Central collected three more hits in the third, including singles from Kelican and sophomore Austin Hosaflook. Senior Dakota Kibler belted an RBI-double to left field to take a 3-0 lead. After stranding three runners in the first two innings, the Bulldogs benefitted from a passed ball in the bottom of the third that allowed a run to score, after two hit batters and a walk.
The Falcons tacked on one more run in the top of the fifth off back-to-back hits by Kelican and Hosaflook (RBI). Kelican lead Central on the day, going 3-for-3, including two doubles. Hosaflook finished 2-for-3 with an RBI. For the day, the Falcons had nine hits, left three on base, and committed no errors in the field.
Despite a single by senior Mason Seekford in the fourth and a double by sophomore Connor Hilliard in the fifth, Luray was unable to score again until its final at-bat. A walk to senior Landon Vile in the seventh, followed by an RBI-single belted to centerfield by senior Jacob Shenk, would cap the scoring for both teams at 4-2.
The Bulldogs only mustered four hits on the day, but Luray would strand a total of six runners. The Bulldogs left two runners on base in the first and third innings. They had two on base in the fifth, when a runner failed to tag up after a fly ball and made the final out of the inning at third base. The game also ended in the seventh with a Luray runner trying to stretch out a play and getting tagged out at third. Both teams were aggressive on the bases throughout the game.
No Bulldog got more than one hit, but Shenk went 1-for-1 after getting hit by the pitcher in his first three at-bats. The senior also recorded Luray’s only RBI with his seventh-inning single. Shenk also took the mound in the third in relief, allowing only one earned run and two hits while striking out five and walking none during his four-plus innings.
Just like Central, Luray committed no errors in the field — an amazing feat for both teams considering that a light rain fell during the entire game. Central’s Isaac Barb was just two outs shy of a complete game when he exited in the seventh. Barb allowed no earned runs and only three hits in more than six innings of work; however, despite his seven strikeouts, the junior also walked three batters…and hit four.
For schedules, rosters and results, check the Bull Run District website.
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