Eagles outlast CCHS

By Jason simcoe

Published: May 8, 2008

With one out in the 10th inning, Osbourn’s Travis Lehman squared around to bunt and dropped the ball about 10 feet straight out from home plate. His teammate Adam Gontkovic barreled down the line from third.

CCHS pitcher Cody Whitlock raced for the ball and flipped it to catcher Allen Beall. Gontovic slid, Beall applied the tag, and the ball rolled off to the right of home plate. Run scores.

The play proved to be the difference in a 4-2 10-inning Osbourn win over the Blue Devils Wednesday.

Gontkovic was almost robbed of a hit moments earlier when CCHS second baseman Brandon Scott made a high-light reel diving grab on a sharply hit ground ball up the middle, but the throw was too low and a step too late.

The Eagles added another run later in the inning. Cory Turner tried to steal second and came around to score when the Blue Devils let the ball get into the outfield on the throw to second.

It was a back-and-forth afternoon for the Cedar Run District rivals. Osbourn opened the scoring in the fourth inning when Steven Lippman smacked a single to left field to score Turner.

The Blue Devils responded in the bottom half of the inning. Allen Beall slapped a two-out single to right field and Josh Gardiner walked. Joey Powell then lined a hit up the middle to score Beall from second.

The Eagles tried to put the game away in the sixth. Turner drew a one-out walk, then came in to the plate when Brandon Coffey powered a double down the line in right field.

But the Blue Devils wouldn’t go quietly. Joey Powell beat out an infield single to start the bottom of the seventh inning, and moved to second on a throwing error.

Junior Nolan Jenkins, who had entered the game in the fourth as a pinch hitter, came to the plate hoping to drop a sacrifice bunt and move Powell over, but a passed ball moved the runner to third. Jenkins promptly sent a pitch back up the middle to score Powell and send the game to extra innings.

“After he moved to third, all I was thinking was ‘put the ball in play’,” Jenkins said.

It was a tough loss for the Blue Devils (8-10, 5-7 Cedar Run), who needed a win to boost their chances of claiming the No. 4 seed in the district tournament.

CCHS managed 10 hits on the afternoon, including three by Beall and two apiece for Powell and Trevor Funk. But the Blue Devils struggled with runners in scoring position, stranding 10 runners and twice leaving the bases loaded.

“We just need to know the situation,” Scott said. “Know where you can hit the ball to move runners around or get them in.”

Turner pitched a complete game for Osbourn, striking out three and walking five.

CCHS sophomore Matt Ward and Whitlock kept the Eagles off balance most of the afternoon. Ward allowed four hits and two earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out two and walked two. Whitlock pitched 4 1/3 innings in relief, allowing four hits and two runs. He struck out five.

“We told the guys any time your pitchers can hold an opposing team to four runs, you’ve got a legitimate shot at winning,” CCHS coach Dan Nobbs said. “… Our pitching was nice today.”

The Blue Devils have two regular-season games remaining. They host Loudoun Valley Friday and travel to Stonewall Jackson Tuesday.

Jason Simcoe can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 166 or