Mustangs are champions of the SHL
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs are champions of the Southern Hills League (Division I), once again.
Fighting back from a five-run deficit after four innings, the Mustangs put up eight runs in the fifth inning, en route to an 11-8 win over the Eastern Brown Warriors, clinching the outright league crown, its first league championship since 2006.
Thursday, on the road, the Mustangs allowed the Warriors to score six times in the first three innings.
With its back against the wall, LC provided fireworks in the fifth, collecting eight hits, along with eight runs and two walks to regain a short-lived first inning lead.
"Very few times, except for our two losses, we haven't had to play from behind. Once against Fayetteville and this game have been it," LC head coach Aric Fiscus said. "This team has shown every conceivable way to win a game this year. They play with a lot of guts and I am very proud of them."
LC gained its first run in the top of the opening inning with Cody Roush reaching first on an error. Roush scored on a RBI double by Ray Doss for the one-run lead.
After the Warriors scored three runs in its half of the first, along with two in the second and one in the third, it was time for the Mustangs to take away with the lead once the fifth inning arrived.
The game-changing inning began with Dalton Cox blasting a three base hit and Austin Fawley scoring Cox with a single.
Fawley was eventually out a second base, but the Mustangs rallied with a walk by Roush, along with a single from Ray Doss. Ryan Doss loaded the bases with a base on balls.
With runners standing on all three bases, Dallas Puckett cleared them in the ensuing at-bat with a triple to score all three runners.
As the scored was tied at six, LC took its second lead of the game when Wes Pierson batted in Puckett with a single. Brad Barger followed with a base knock.
Down to the final out of the half inning, Cox returned to the plate with a single in his second at-bat of the fifth to score Pierson. Cox and with Barger touched home plate on single by Fawley to complete the scoring in the fifth.
With the Warriors scoring once in both the fifth and sixth innings, LC finished its final trip to the batters box with two runs.
Pierson tripled and Barger was hit by a pitch to give LC runners at first and third. Both players raced around the bases, scoring on a two-run single by Dakota Dye.
At the plate LC was led by Fawley and Ray Doss with each player gaining three hits. Pierson and Cox each had two hits. The Mustangs finished with a total of 14 hits. EB had nine in the loss, along with three errors.
Ryan Doss gained the pitching win for LC. Doss, who pitched in relief, went three innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on on three hits and one walk. He finished the game with four strikeouts.
Roush started the game for LC. Roush, a four-year senior starter, pitched four innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits and one walk. Roush collected four strikeouts.
After a tough season last year, Fiscus said he thinks his players learned from that experience and used that to produce this year.
"Last year was tough, but a learning experience, and the guys used that to their advantage coming into this season," Fiscus said. "I had a good idea we could be competitive at the start of the season, but with the history in this league, going undefeated is hard, and we aren't there yet.
"This game was highly intense and I don't want a let down in our next game. We still have a job to do."
LC will host the North Adams Green Devils Friday at 5 p.m.
The win lifts LC to 14-2 overall, 10-0 in the SHL.
In what is the 40th year of the SHL, LC has now gained its 20th SHL baseball championship. For Fiscus, it is his seventh championship in 14 seasons at LC.
BOX SCORE
LCHS 100 080 2 - 11 14 1
EBHS 321 011 0 - 8 9 3
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Fighting back from a five-run deficit after four innings, the Mustangs put up eight runs in the fifth inning, en route to an 11-8 win over the Eastern Brown Warriors, clinching the outright league crown, its first league championship since 2006.
Thursday, on the road, the Mustangs allowed the Warriors to score six times in the first three innings.
With its back against the wall, LC provided fireworks in the fifth, collecting eight hits, along with eight runs and two walks to regain a short-lived first inning lead.
"Very few times, except for our two losses, we haven't had to play from behind. Once against Fayetteville and this game have been it," LC head coach Aric Fiscus said. "This team has shown every conceivable way to win a game this year. They play with a lot of guts and I am very proud of them."
LC gained its first run in the top of the opening inning with Cody Roush reaching first on an error. Roush scored on a RBI double by Ray Doss for the one-run lead.
After the Warriors scored three runs in its half of the first, along with two in the second and one in the third, it was time for the Mustangs to take away with the lead once the fifth inning arrived.
The game-changing inning began with Dalton Cox blasting a three base hit and Austin Fawley scoring Cox with a single.
Fawley was eventually out a second base, but the Mustangs rallied with a walk by Roush, along with a single from Ray Doss. Ryan Doss loaded the bases with a base on balls.
With runners standing on all three bases, Dallas Puckett cleared them in the ensuing at-bat with a triple to score all three runners.
As the scored was tied at six, LC took its second lead of the game when Wes Pierson batted in Puckett with a single. Brad Barger followed with a base knock.
Down to the final out of the half inning, Cox returned to the plate with a single in his second at-bat of the fifth to score Pierson. Cox and with Barger touched home plate on single by Fawley to complete the scoring in the fifth.
With the Warriors scoring once in both the fifth and sixth innings, LC finished its final trip to the batters box with two runs.
Pierson tripled and Barger was hit by a pitch to give LC runners at first and third. Both players raced around the bases, scoring on a two-run single by Dakota Dye.
At the plate LC was led by Fawley and Ray Doss with each player gaining three hits. Pierson and Cox each had two hits. The Mustangs finished with a total of 14 hits. EB had nine in the loss, along with three errors.
Ryan Doss gained the pitching win for LC. Doss, who pitched in relief, went three innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on on three hits and one walk. He finished the game with four strikeouts.
Roush started the game for LC. Roush, a four-year senior starter, pitched four innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits and one walk. Roush collected four strikeouts.
After a tough season last year, Fiscus said he thinks his players learned from that experience and used that to produce this year.
"Last year was tough, but a learning experience, and the guys used that to their advantage coming into this season," Fiscus said. "I had a good idea we could be competitive at the start of the season, but with the history in this league, going undefeated is hard, and we aren't there yet.
"This game was highly intense and I don't want a let down in our next game. We still have a job to do."
LC will host the North Adams Green Devils Friday at 5 p.m.
The win lifts LC to 14-2 overall, 10-0 in the SHL.
In what is the 40th year of the SHL, LC has now gained its 20th SHL baseball championship. For Fiscus, it is his seventh championship in 14 seasons at LC.
BOX SCORE
LCHS 100 080 2 - 11 14 1
EBHS 321 011 0 - 8 9 3
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