Willis Headed To Morgan State

by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports
04/13/2007

Meadowbrook’s sensational scorer Channa Willis is headed to Morgan State, a Division I program stationed in Baltimore, MD.

Willis, a 5-5 guard, was the Central District player of the year,
leading the Monarchs to a 16-10 record. The first-team all-Central
Region and second-team All-Metro selection averaged about 18 points per
game and scored over 1,000 points in her career.

The Bears of the MEAC finished 18-13 last season, losing in the conference championship.

Spring Break Call-Up Sparks Atlee

Austin Young (23, left) heads back to the dugout after his first varsity hit, a three-run homer, that gave Atlee a 12-6 victory.

by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports
04/10/2007

Austin Young might have been a junior-varsity player last week, but this freshman won’t see the JV circuit again.

In his fourth at-bat Tuesday afternoon, Atlee’s Young blasted a
three-run home run to right-center field to lead the Raiders to a 12-6
victory over Dinwiddie, ranked third in the DigitalSports Top 10.

“I always bring some kids up for spring break,” Atlee coach Tommy Harrison said. “Why not throw him to the wolves and see what happens. He hit that ball to right-center field as good as anyone.”

It was the Generals’ first loss of the season and a much-needed win
for the Raiders (5-3) to start the Richmond Blast Spring Break
Tournament.

“It feels good. Relief,” said Young, a 6-3, 220-pounder who went 1
for 4 in his first varsity appearance. “I sort of got the weight off of
my shoulders.”

Young’s homer capped a seven-run sixth inning and a 9-0 run for the
Raiders. Dinwiddie (6-1) had just took a 6-3 advantage on a two-run HR
by Chris Wallen in the fifth inning.

But in the bottom of the fifth, Generals pitcher Justin Clay hit two batters and walked two others to force in a run. Taylor Sandefur‘s groundout to second scored pinch-runner Dylan Garthright, another JV call-up, to slice the lead to 6-5.

Young almost took Clay out then, but flew out at the warning track in left field to end the inning.

In the top of the sixth, Atlee pitcher Ryan Farrar gave up a single to Adam Morgan, the talented Dinwiddie football quarterback. But he picked off the sophomore at first base for the second out.

Then Chris King, Taylor Perkins and Josh Cox, the top of the Generals’ lineup, singled in consecutive at-bats.

“We want to try to do some good things whether we win or lose,” Dinwiddie coach J.P. Culbreath said.

But King was thrown out at the plate by left fielder Ryan Kontra trying to score from second on Cox’ hit.

The Raiders took advantage quickly, as Brent Bettinger (2-3, BB, 3 RBI) singled to score Nick Walsh and tie the game at 6. Then shortstop Chase Worthington (2-4, RBI) blasted a double to score Bettinger.

Farrar (1 for 3, BB, RBI) grounded out but scored D. Garthright to make it 8-6. Then Kontra singled off reliever Chad Jones to push in Worthington and set the stage for Young.

“I just kept relaxing,” Young said. “I was tight the first couple of at-bats.”

Farrar knows that tightness. He was a JV call-up last year at this
moment. Now he’s a staple in Atlee’s rotation, who struck out the side
to end the game. He had 15 strikeouts, by far a career-high. Farrar had
never reached double figures in that category. 

“I didn’t even know it was that many. That’s a lot,” the 15-year-old
said. “My changeup was working well. I hung it when [Wallen] hit the
home run, but after that it was working well.”

What else is working well? Harrison’s spring break decisions.

Dinwiddie..022 020 0 – 6 10 1

Atlee……021 027 x – 12 10 2

Clay, Jones (6) and Morgan; Farrar and Seay.

Records: Dinwiddie (6-1); Atlee (5-

Baseball & Softball Players of the Week –
April 1-8

Rapids Enter National Poll

James River’s baseball team entered the latest Baseball America Top 50 at No. 21.

The Rapids are 7-0 on the season behind the monster pitching quartet of seniors Chris Briere and A.J. Prill, and juniors Austin Stadler and Daniel Marrs.

In those seven wins, James River has allowed seven total runs. Go to www.baseballamerica.com to check out the full rankings.

Deep Run Answers The Bell

Daniel Green drew two walks and scored two runs in Deep Run’s 13-7 victory over Mills Godwin.

Every time Mills Godwin public address announcer Blake Peddicord put a score up for the home team Thursday night, it seemed like Deep Run took offense.

The Wildcats erased a 1-0 deficit with a six-run third inning, and
squelched the Eagles’ five-run fifth with one of their own in the
sixth, en route to a 13-7 Colonial District victory.

Down 1-0, Deep Run’s Brooks Martin singled in Deck McGuire‘s courtesy runner Guy Pastore to knot the contest in the second inning.

After McGuire (12 strikeouts) struck out the side, Godwin’s second pitcher, Will Cropper, struggled to find the strike zone. He hit No. 9 batter Daniel Green, then gave up an RBI single two batters later to Daniel Astrop.

Brett Entz (2 for 4, BB, RBI) followed with a
single to right field, then Cropper hit McGuire in the back to load the
bases. Pastore walked to push the lead to 3-1. 

Then Brooks Martin whipped a two-RBI double down the left field line to push in VMI-bound Entz and courtesy runner Chris Harless for a 5-1 advantage.

Two batters later designated hitter Erick Herrmann doubled to left field to drive in two more runs as DR took a commanding 7-1 lead.

“I thought we did a good piece of hitting that inning,” Wildcats coach Grant Odell said.

McGuire cruised the next two innings, while Godwin hurlers Jay Billingsley and Danny Jones got Deep Run’s aluminum bats under control as well.

Then McGuire, who had only given up one hit in the first four innings, unraveled a bit. An error put Kyle Gragnani on, then an out later Matt Grigg hit a McGuire offering to left field for a single.

Two pitches later Eagles leadoff man Greg Mitro (2
for 2, RBI, 2 BB) smacked an RBI double over Martin’s head in right
field. McGuire’s next pitch went for another double courtesy
centerfielder Lee Jones.

Three pitches later, the Georgia Tech recruit threw what he called his “worst pitch ever.” Tyler Biddix drilled it to the trees in centerfield and just like that Godwin was only down one, 7-6 to start the sixth inning.

“He just got the ball up a little bit,” Odell said. “After that, Deck settled down and got back focused.”

Said Godwin coach John Marano: “Our kids didn’t quit. I’m really happy with the effort. It’s a great group of kids.”

Not to be out done, the Wildcats (2-1, 4-1) forced Jones out by
loading the bases. Gragnani moved from first to the mound, struck out
Astrop, but then threw a wild pitch to score Herrmann.

He then walked McGuire on four pitches to force in anotehr run.
Pastore’s sacrifice fly gave Deep Run a 10-7 advantage before an error
and an RBI single by David Noack finished off Deep Run’s five-spot.

Marano’s trying to find answers, as the Eagles (3-2, 3-2) don’t have a dominant hurler for the first time in a long time.

It doesn’t help that one option is on the shelf in Ryan Ross, brother of former Godwin star Ricky Ross. He was a designated hitter Thursday night, but the junior’s season will soon be over after he has surgery sometime next week.

“We just don’t have a lot of options,” Marano said. “We had nine walks. We try to have at least everybody pitch one inning.”

The Wildcats have the luxury of the 6-6 McGuire and a powerful offense.

“Our offense is always hitting the ball,” Entz said. “We expect everybody in our lineup to hit the ball.”

Deep Run 016 005 1 – 13 9 2

Mills Godwin 100 050 1 – 7 6 3

McGuire and Astrop; Garrett, Croper (3), Billingsley (3), Jones (5), K. Gragnani (6), Biddix (6)

Atkinson’s Bat Powers Hanover Over Atlee

by Stephen Lewis
DigitalSports
04/04/2007

    It took Hanover�??s
Jessie Atkinson four seasons to drill a high-school home run, a
three-run shot in an 18-1 victory over Henrico this past Friday.

Now
the 5-10 senior has two dingers in her past two games, as Atkinson�??s
bases-empty homer over the centerfield fence helped the Hawks to a 3-1
triumph over Atlee Tuesday night.

Atkinson, batting cleanup and leading off the second inning, drilled Jackie Jenkins�?? offering for a 1-0 advantage.

�??It
was a 2-0 count,�?� said the third baseman, �??so I knew she was going to
throw something in my zone. I feel like I have big shoes to fill in the
cleanup spot. I�??m hoping to have some RBIs.�?�

Two
outs later, Kelly Stajduhar stroked a single to right field and later
advanced to second base as a ball got past Raiders catcher Krissy
Leber.

Brittany Sutherland worked the count full and drove Stajduhar home on a single to center for a 2-0 advantage.

The
Hawks (3-0 Capital, 5-0) weren�??t done as Amanda Woolard smoked a triple
down the right-field line to drive in Sutherland for a three-run
inning.

The bottom of Hanover�??s lineup earned three straight hits off of the talented Jenkins.

�??Jackie
was [throwing] good pitches,�?� Atlee coach John Earley said. �??But they
were hitting them. They hit the ball out of the zone.�?�

Woolard
was in a zone in centerfield in place of all-Central Region Courtney
Long, who is replacing all-region catcher Julie Smith (arm injury)
behind the plate more than admirably.

�??That�??s
what makes us tough, our seven, eight and nine hitters,�?� Hawks coach
Chris Pace said. �??Courtney is improving every game catching. When
somebody goes down at the catcher position, you need an athlete like
Courtney Long.�?�

The
lead was put in safe hands as Lisa Puryear handed off to Lauren
Brummell to start the fourth inning. The stellar senior didn�??t have her
normal game on the hill, giving up three walks and four hits, three in
the seventh inning, as Atlee (2-1, 4-5) loaded the bases.

The
Raiders�?? Jenkins (2 for 3, single, double) scored as Hillary Sparagna
was caught in a run down for the second out. Then Brummell struck out
Amanda Warley looking to end the contest, her eighth strikeout in four
innings of work.

�??They were so cool,�?� Pace said of his team in a tough spot. �??Most of my kids are state champions. They�??ve seen it all.�?�

Said
Atlee coach John Earley: �??We know we can hang with them. We just have
got to get over that hump to beat them. We don�??t have that ******
instinct right now.�?�

Plenty of Hits; Not Enough Runs as Henrico Falls to Lee-Davis 6-4

COLLEY
FIELD �?? Henrico banged out thirteen base hits but only plated four runs
as the �??Warriors�?� dropped a Capital District contest to Lee Davis 6-4
Wednesday night.  Henrico (5-5; 1-2) wasted
another quality pitching performance by Seth Cutler-Voltz who recorded
10 strike outs while pitching a complete game.

�??It is baffling,�?� said head coach Ken Schrad. �??We hit better and pitched better then our opponent.  Yet, we�??re the one�??s scratching our heads wondering what more we can do to win these kind of games.�?�

A look at the scorebook tells much of the story.  The top five hitters in the Henrico line-up went 11 of 18.  The bottom of the line-up was two for 15.  �??When opportunities arise, you have to deliver regardless of your spot in the batting order,�?� Schrad said.  That�??s why it�??s a team game. Everybody�??s at bat could be the one that decides the game�??s outcome.�?�

That
was true for Lee-Davis (2-2; 2-1). It was the bottom of the
�??Confederates�?� order that got a big inning started in the top of the
fifth with Henrico up 3-0.  Two consecutive hits by the seven and eight hole hitters set the table for the top of the order.

Cutler-Voltz had breezed through the first four innings.  His teammates put up one run in the first on an RBI single by Taylor Smith.  Smith was responsible for another run in the third with a solo home run.  An RBI single by Michael Mansfield in the fourth added a little insurance.

But, Cutler-Voltz was slightly shaken by those two Lee-Davis singles in the in the fifth.  With runners at second and third, he wouldn�??t give in to lead off hitter Josh Perks who walked.  One run scored on a passed ball and another walk loaded the bases again.

All-district player Jordan Walton then crushed a double over the center fielder�??s head scoring all three base runners.  Andrew Hacker added a single to score Walton.  A strike out ended the inning, but Lee-Davis led 5-3.

A single by Cutler-Voltz started Henrico�??s half of the fifth.  He advanced to second on a passed ball and then to third on JC Poma�??s sacrifice fly. Mansfield then followed with his second RBI single of the evening.

Lee Davis scratched out a run in the top of the seventh.  Despite
a lead off single by Landon Prentiss in the bottom of the inning,
Henrico could muster nothing else to mount a serious threat.

�??We�??ve played 10 games and lost five.  Of those five in the loss column, we probably won 30 of 35 innings,�?� said Schrad.  �??But in each of those games we lost one inning by a big number.  I mean where the winning team got all the runs needed to win the game in that one inning.  If we can learn to prevent such big innings, we�??re going to be all right.�?�

Henrico Comes Up Short in Slugfest with Patrick Henry