COLLEY
FIELD – Henrico put up four runs in the bottom half of the first inning
to take early command and then held on to pick up a 7-5 non-district
win over Tucker Thursday night.  The “Tigers” (0-3) put pressure on the
“Warriors” (3-2) in the sixth inning.  But the rally was snuffed out by
reliever Michael Mansfield who overcame two lost in the lights outfield
hits.

“The game was eerily similar to last year,” said head coach Ken
Schrad.  “We jumped out to a big lead only to let it
slowly dwindle.  Unlike last year, we were able to withstand the
pressure and showed enough maturity and savvy to overcome a little
adversity.”

Eric Thornton started on the mound for Henrico and cruised through two innings.  

In the bottom of the first, lead off hitter Seth Cutler-Voltz
reached on an error, J C Poma was hit by a pitch, and both advanced on
a passed ball.  Cutler-Voltz scored on Mansfield’s sacrifice fly to
right field.  Thornton got an infield hit.  Landon Prentiss then
slapped an RBI single to center scoring Poma.  Patrick Hughes then hit
a two RBI double to right center scoring Thornton and Prentiss.

In the third inning, Thornton walked two and gave up two hits to cut
the lead in half.  Henrico answered in the bottom of the inning getting
two walks.  Taylor Smith then scored on Hughes’ sacrifice fly.

Mansfield took over the pitching duties in the fourth and got Tucker
to ground into a rally ******* double play.  Consecutive hits by
Cutler-Voltz and Poma in the bottom of the fourth resulted in two more
scores and a 7-2 lead.

The fifth inning was scoreless and the top of the sixth started
promising when shortstop Landon Prentiss made another of several fine
plays to record the first out.  Then two consecutive pops to left field
were lost in the lights by Cutler-Voltz and Tucker had something
going.  Three runs scored before the inning ended when Taylor Smith
snagged a sharp grounder to third and made the accurate throw across
the diamond for the third out.

Tucker went quietly in the seventh with a ground out to short, a strike out, and a lazy fly ball to centerfield.

“It was important for our kids to shake off the stigma that haunts
this team despite the fact that they are pretty good players,” said
Schrad.  “They need to realize they can win the close game if they stay
calm, relax, and play to their ability.”

Another three game week awaits the “Warriors,” with two of those
games on the road.  At Maggie Walker on Monday, at Highland Springs on
Tuesday, and then home against Hanover on Friday.

The Henrico JV traveled to Tucker and had trouble getting on track
after bus transportation problems caused a delayed start.  The final
was an 11-6 loss.