Whiteoak’s 7-run win moves them to district semifinals
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
MOWRYSTOWN — Once again, the No. 3 seeded Whiteoak Wildcats show up when the games are most important, and 2022 was no different at the start of the Division IV SE District Tournament. Tuesday saw the Wildcats defend their home field in the sectional finals by defeating the visiting No. 14 seeded Waterford Wildcats by a score of 8-1.
The sectional final game saw both teams held scoreless in the first inning, but the home Wildcats got things going in the bottom of the second with Whiteoak scoring three runs as Eli Roberts, Ian Griffith and Connor Butler all rounded the bases for a 3-0 lead.
The second inning saw Roberts reach the bases on an errant throw, but the shortstop Griffith hit a single, and Butler reached first base with an infield base hit. Griffith’s hit to centerfield knocked in Roberts, while Luken Roades had an RBI single that scored Butler.
Whiteoak’s lead went to 4-0 when Roberts hit a lead-off single to centerfield, stole second base and scored on a base hit to left-centerfield by Griffith with two outs and a full count against him.
Whiteoak continued to add to their advantage with a two-run fourth inning, moving their lead to six runs. The bottom half of the inning began with Butler drawing a full-count walk. Butler stole second base, and with one out he went to third on a Roades sacrifice bunt and ensuing errant throw to first base, allowing him to move Whiteoak’s lead to 5-0, plus Roades was safe at first base.
Roades stole second base and went to third on a passed ball. He scored when Ryan Barnett hit a groundout to the second baseman for the RBI, with WHS leading 6-0.
Waterford scored their lone run in the top of the sixth inning off a two-base hit, but Whiteoak answered with two final runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, moving their lead to 8-1, which stayed the final score.
The Whiteoak Wildcats began the inning with a walk by Butler, followed by him stealing second and third bases. With one out, he scored a run on a Roades sacrifice fly, but the batter reached the bases safely with an error on the catch attempt, eventually reaching second base.
With two outs, Carson Emery hit his second double of the game (he had a double in the first inning), with this one crushed to the centerfield fence to plate Roades.
“Ian Griffith had two big hits tonight, and Carson’s two doubles were impressive,” WHS head coach Chris Veidt said. “For the most part, we were solid defensively with some breakdowns in the sixth inning that kind of hurt us. Our kids were loose, ready, prepared and confident, and that’s good to see in a tournament setting as well.”
Whiteoak on the bases were 9-for-9 on stolen base attempts, with the nine steals coming from Butler (three), Roberts (two), Roades (two), Griffith (one) and Barnett (one).
On the mound, it was Butler pitching six excellent innings, allowing one run on four hits and no walks. Butler totaled three strikeouts. Butler threw a total of 83 pitches.
Barnett pitched the seventh inning, where he faced three batters and had three outs with no runs or walks allowed, totaling one strikeout. Barnett threw a total of 10 pitches in his one inning of work.
“Connor was Connor. He went six strong innings, and we would like to bring him back on three days’ rest, and Landon needed a bullpen and he needed that tournament experience, so it was good for him to get out there. He had a good fastball,” Veidt said.
“Connor also had a good mix, and one of his better fastballs. He usually mixes his curveball in well and keeps guys off-balanced, but he didn’t need it as much tonight.”
Next for the No. 3 seeded Whiteoak Wildcats is a district semifinal game on Saturday, May 21 against No. 6 seeded Chillicothe Huntington at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe with a start time of 1 p.m.
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The sectional final game saw both teams held scoreless in the first inning, but the home Wildcats got things going in the bottom of the second with Whiteoak scoring three runs as Eli Roberts, Ian Griffith and Connor Butler all rounded the bases for a 3-0 lead.
The second inning saw Roberts reach the bases on an errant throw, but the shortstop Griffith hit a single, and Butler reached first base with an infield base hit. Griffith’s hit to centerfield knocked in Roberts, while Luken Roades had an RBI single that scored Butler.
Whiteoak’s lead went to 4-0 when Roberts hit a lead-off single to centerfield, stole second base and scored on a base hit to left-centerfield by Griffith with two outs and a full count against him.
Whiteoak continued to add to their advantage with a two-run fourth inning, moving their lead to six runs. The bottom half of the inning began with Butler drawing a full-count walk. Butler stole second base, and with one out he went to third on a Roades sacrifice bunt and ensuing errant throw to first base, allowing him to move Whiteoak’s lead to 5-0, plus Roades was safe at first base.
Roades stole second base and went to third on a passed ball. He scored when Ryan Barnett hit a groundout to the second baseman for the RBI, with WHS leading 6-0.
Waterford scored their lone run in the top of the sixth inning off a two-base hit, but Whiteoak answered with two final runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, moving their lead to 8-1, which stayed the final score.
The Whiteoak Wildcats began the inning with a walk by Butler, followed by him stealing second and third bases. With one out, he scored a run on a Roades sacrifice fly, but the batter reached the bases safely with an error on the catch attempt, eventually reaching second base.
With two outs, Carson Emery hit his second double of the game (he had a double in the first inning), with this one crushed to the centerfield fence to plate Roades.
“Ian Griffith had two big hits tonight, and Carson’s two doubles were impressive,” WHS head coach Chris Veidt said. “For the most part, we were solid defensively with some breakdowns in the sixth inning that kind of hurt us. Our kids were loose, ready, prepared and confident, and that’s good to see in a tournament setting as well.”
Whiteoak on the bases were 9-for-9 on stolen base attempts, with the nine steals coming from Butler (three), Roberts (two), Roades (two), Griffith (one) and Barnett (one).
On the mound, it was Butler pitching six excellent innings, allowing one run on four hits and no walks. Butler totaled three strikeouts. Butler threw a total of 83 pitches.
Barnett pitched the seventh inning, where he faced three batters and had three outs with no runs or walks allowed, totaling one strikeout. Barnett threw a total of 10 pitches in his one inning of work.
“Connor was Connor. He went six strong innings, and we would like to bring him back on three days’ rest, and Landon needed a bullpen and he needed that tournament experience, so it was good for him to get out there. He had a good fastball,” Veidt said.
“Connor also had a good mix, and one of his better fastballs. He usually mixes his curveball in well and keeps guys off-balanced, but he didn’t need it as much tonight.”
Next for the No. 3 seeded Whiteoak Wildcats is a district semifinal game on Saturday, May 21 against No. 6 seeded Chillicothe Huntington at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe with a start time of 1 p.m.
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