SALEM, VA – After 40 seasons, the book on Alleghany Mountaineers baseball has closed.
With a trip to the Class 2 state championship on the line, the Alleghany Mountaineers fell short of their goal following a 5-4 loss to Poquoson Islanders in the state semifinals.
Trailing 2-1 entering the bottom of the third inning, the Islanders took advantage of three Alleghany errors and a Halen Lowman balk to score four unearned runs to take 5-2 advantage.
It would be a lead that Poquoson would not let up despite Alleghany having closed the gap to one run and getting numerous chances where they knocked on the Islanders doors.
Kai Baker and Thomas Check led the Islanders with two hits each, while Check had the team’s lone RBI of the game which came on an RBI single in the bottom of the second inning.
On the mound Eli Tyndall did just enough for the Islanders to earn the victory after giving up four runs (three earned) on five hits in 4.1 innings. Tyndall also walked four, and struck out five.
It was only the second meeting ever between the two programs on the diamond. In the state semifinals 15 years ago in 2008, the Mounties beat the Islanders by the same score as Friday morning’s final score 5-4. Maxim Fritts did his job out of the bullpen and was perfect as he retired all eight batters he faced to earn the save.
The high-octane offense from Alleghany was held to only five hits in their semifinal loss. Chris Harden and Conner McPeek led the Mounties with a pair of hits, while McPeek had a team-high two RBI’s. Meanwhile Dalton Griffith had an RBI as well and Hunter DePriest had one hit in two plate appearances.
Mountaineers left-handed ace Halen Lowman suffered just his second loss of the season after giving up five runs (one earned) on two hits in three innings on the mound. In relief of Lowman, Anthony Webb pitched spectacularly as he held Poquoson scoreless over the final three innings. Webb gave up three hits, walked two, and struck out one.
Alleghany jumped out to 2-0 lead in the second inning following an RBI groundout by D. Griffith and an RBI single from McPeek. It was the team’s only lead of the game.
The Mounties had a pair of chances to tie. In the third inning after McPeek’s RBI double that brought the Mounties within two runs at 5-3, Tyndall got out of the inning by striking out Garrett Via. And in the fifth with one out DePriest drove in the teams fourth run. Fritts then came in for Poquoson and was able to get out of the inning with no more damage added. The Mounties left seven on base.
Alleghany finished its final season in program history at 20-3 along with a regional championship.
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
AHS 0 2 0 1 1 0 0 4 5 4
PHS 0 1 4 0 0 0 X 5 5 2
Mounties Box Score
LINEUP AB R H RBI BB SO
Weese, SS 2 0 0 0 2 0
McPeek, 2B 4 0 2 2 0 2
Via, LF 3 0 0 0 0 3
W. Griffith, 1B 3 1 0 0 1 0
Webb, 3B/P 4 0 0 0 0 0
DePriest, CF 2 1 1 0 1 1
Caldwell, DH/3B 2 0 0 0 0 1
D. Griffith, RF 3 0 0 1 0 0
Harden, C 3 2 2 0 0 0
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TEAM 26 4 5 3 4 7
PITCHING IP H R ER BB SO
Lowman (L) 3 2 5 1 5 2
Webb 3 3 0 0 2 1
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TEAM 6 5 5 1 7 3
Islanders Box Score
LINEUP AB R H RBI BB SO
Galacgac, SS 3 0 1 0 1 0
Tyndall, P 3 1 0 0 0 0
Baker, 3B 4 0 2 0 0 0
Monroe, C 2 0 0 0 2 0
Green, CF 3 1 0 0 1 0
Power, LF 2 1 0 0 0 0
Martin, DH 2 1 0 0 1 1
Check, 2B 2 0 2 1 1 0
McDaniels, RF 1 0 0 0 1 1
Rose, PH 1 0 0 0 0 1
PITCHING IP H R ER BB SO
Tyndall (W) 4.1 5 4 3 4 5
Fritts (S) 2.2 0 0 0 0 2
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TEAM 7 5 4 3 4 7
AHS: Lowman, Webb (4), and Harden. PHS: Tyndall, Fritts (5), and Monroe. W – Tyndall. L – Lowman. 2B – AHS:McPeek. TB – AHS: McPeek 3, Harden 2, and DePriest. PHS: Baker 2, Check 2, and Galacgac. HBP – AHS: Via. E – AHS: D. Griffith 2, Harden, and McPeek. PHS: Tyndall, and Baker.
