The Shadow
Mounties rally to regional title game
RADFORD, VA – Down late in the Class 2, Region C baseball semifinals the Alleghany Mountaineers rallied for a 4-2 victory over the Chatham Cavaliers (Dogwood District) on Tuesday evening at Radford University.
Trailing 2-1 entering the bottom of the sixth inning the region’s top-seeded Mountaineers put across three runs behind a game-tying RBI single from Dalton Griffith and a go-ahead two-run single by Conner McPeek.
Chatham would not go away though. In the seventh inning the Cavaliers put the tying-run on base. After Alleghany’s Hunter DePriest walked the leadoff batter, he dialed back in to strike out C Walden for the first out. Mounties head coach Seth Bradley then went to the bullpen for his lefty-ace Halen Lowman to close the game out. Lowman gave up a single to Jake Moore, but then retired the final two batters he faced to end the Cavaliers’ potential rally.
Alleghany overcame two deficits to advance to the regional title game. The team fell behind 1-0 in the third inning on a sacrifice fly out from Lewis. The Mountaineers answered that same inning with a sacrifice fly from Wyatt Griffith. The second rally of course came in the sixth inning after Alex Van Pelt put the Cavaliers up 2-1 behind an RBI double.
Despite not finishing the job on the mound, DePriest pitched spectacularly for Alleghany. In his 6.1 innings, DePriest allowed two runs on five hits, while walking five, and striking out seven. DePriest was also one of three Mounties who had a multi-hit performance at the plate as DePriest, McPeek, and Chris Harden each led the team with two hits.
The Cavaliers were led by Moore who had two hits in three plate appearances, while Lewis suffered the loss. Lewis allowed three runs on four hits in 1.1 innings, and struck out two. Van Pelt, who took the start on the mound for the Cavaliers allowed one run on four hits in 4.2 innings. Van Pelt also walked four, and struck out six.
Chatham had entered the game the number one overall ranked team in Virginia State Class 2 (according to MaxPreps) and were the regions second seed. The loss ended the Cavaliers 13-game winning streak. The team had not lost since April 18th when they were shutout 4-0 to Tunstall.
The win for Alleghany is their second in a row following their two-game losing streak at the end of the regular season. The Mountaineers will play the Patrick County Cougars on Thursday in the regional championship. The Cougars defeated Nelson County 6-3 in the other semifinal on Tuesday.
Alleghany also clinched a berth into the state tournament with their win over Chatham in the regional semifinals.
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
CHS 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 6 1
AHS 0 0 1 0 0 3 X 4 8 0
Cavaliers Box Score
LINEUP AB R H RBI BB SO
Moore, CF 3 1 2 0 1 0
Lewis, 2B/P 3 0 0 1 0 1
Aaron, SS 3 1 1 0 1 0
Cornell, C 2 0 1 0 1 0
Van Pelt, P/2B 2 0 1 1 1 1
Cassell, RF 3 0 0 0 0 1
Daniels, 3B 3 0 1 0 0 0
Williams, DH 2 0 0 0 0 2
Phillips, 1B 0 0 0 0 1 0
Walden, LF 3 0 0 0 0 3
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TEAM 24 2 6 2 5 8
PITCHING IP H R ER BB SO
Van Pelt 4.2 4 1 1 4 6
Lewis (L) 1.1 4 3 3 0 2
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TEAM 6 8 4 4 4 8
Mounties Box Score
LINEUP AB R H RBI BB SO
Weese, SS 4 0 1 0 0 2
McPeek, 2B 4 0 2 2 0 1
Via, LF 1 0 0 0 2 0
W. Griffith, 1B 0 0 0 1 1 0
Webb, 3B 3 0 0 0 0 1
DePriest, P/CF 2 1 2 0 1 0
Caldwell, DH 2 0 0 0 0 2
D. Griffith, RF 3 1 1 1 0 2
Harden, C 2 2 2 0 0 0
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TEAM 21 4 8 4 4 8
PITCHING IP H R ER BB SO
DePriest (W) 6.1 5 2 2 5 7
Lowman (S) 0.2 1 0 0 0 1
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TEAM 7 6 2 2 5 8
CH: Van Pelt, Lewis (6), and Cornell. AH: DePriest, Lowman (7), and Harden. W – DePriest. L – Lewis. S – Lowman. 2B – CH: Van Pelt. AH: DePriest. 3B – CH: Moore. TB – CH: Moore 4, Van Pelt 2, Daniels, Aaron, and Cornell. AH: DePriest 3, McPeek 2, Harden 2, Weese, and D. Griffith. HBP – AH: Caldwell, and W. Griffith. SF – CH: Lewis. AH: W. Griffith. SB – CH: Aaron. CS – CH: Aaron, and Moore. AH: Via, and DePriest. E – CH: Daniels.
