True contenders?

By Shane Mettlen

Published: May 9, 2008

Talk about a team that can’t catch many breaks, the Culpeper County High School baseball squad has been on the verge of being able to call 2008 their breakout season — on the verge, but not quite there.

The Blue Devils are 8-10 and 5-7 in the Cedar Run District, a record good enough to put them right in the middle of the pack. But it’s not as if Culpeper hasn’t competed with the district’s big boys. The Devils have taken Battlefield, one of the area’s best teams, to the wire twice, but couldn’t get the victory either time.

But that’s just the way it’s been for CCHS. Four of the 10 losses have come by one run, three more by two runs and one in extra innings. Culpeper has routinely left two or three runners on base, twice leaving the bases juiced in Wednesday’s 10-inning loss to Osbourn. A good hop here, a timely hit there and the Devils might be five or six games above.
500.

This bunch has tried just about everything to get it turned around. They’ve had post-game team meetings that lasted an hour and a half. They’ve given opportunities to promising young players and even tried Tae Bo workouts at practice. Nothing has changed their luck.

But here’s the thing about luck. If the Blue Devils really have just been misfortunate — and when you look at the talent on the roster and the circumstances surrounding some of their losses it sure seems that way — then their fate is bound to change. The odds of every break going against one team the entire season are slim and now, with two games left in the regular season, Culpeper is due.

The Devils play host to Loudoun Valley this afternoon and go to Stonewall Jackson on Tuesday. Those just happen to be two teams Culpeper is fighting for the No. 4 seed and a home game in the district tournament.

A couple of victories to close out the regular season and all of the sudden the Blue Devils might have a much easier route in the postseason, and this appears to be a team built for tournament play.

There’s not a lot of drop off between CCHS’s top three starting pitchers. Jeremy Brown, Brad Settle and Matt Ward all have ERAs under 3.70. Toss in reliever Cody Whitlock, who has been outstanding as of late, and the Devils have a four-man staff that should give them an advantage in a busy tournament schedule.

And despite the fact that getting runners across the plate has been tough at times this year, Culpeper can hit. Five starters were hitting .339 or better through last week and eight Devils were hitting above .279.

CCHS also has a bono fide power hitter in senior first baseman Hunter Kenney, who was slugging .587 and had driven in 15 runs in 16 games.

Now is the Devils’ opportunity to prove they really are dark horse contenders for a spot in the regional tournament. The key is stepping up and making plays when it matters most.

Shane Mettlen can be reached at 825-0771, ext. 127 or .