The Shadow
For a moment Wednesday evening, one had to think the Glenvar Highlanders had the luck of the Irish on their side as they erased a three-run deficit in the top of the fifth.
But the guys in green and gold saw their luck run out as the Alleghany Mountaineers plated two runs in the home half of the fifth inning to post a 5-3 non-district win over the Highlanders at Mountaineer Field.
Alleghany (2-0) jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning off Glenvar starting pitcher Anthony Ratliff.
Jerrod Groves singled and Cody Nida reached on a fielder’s choice to lead-off the inning. Dakota Nicely followed with a laser to center field and the ball slipped by Glenvar center fielder Eddie Kasper, allowing both Groves and Nida to score.
Jacob Vaughan followed with an RBI single to give the Mountaineers an early 3-0 lead after one inning of play.
Ratliff would settle down there and go toe-to-toe with on the mound with Vaughan as the AHS senior allowed just two Highlander hits through the first four innings.
But Glenvar (0-2) was far from done.
The Highlanders rallied in the top of the fifth for three runs.
Kasper and Ratliff both had RBI singles in the inning and a sac fly to right brought home the game-tying run.
Only problem for the Highlanders – the Mountaineers had a rally of their own.
Groves singled and stole second to lead off the top of the fifth. He moved to third on Nida’s single and Nida took second easily to put both runners in scoring position.
A wild pitch from Ratliff allowed Groves to score the go-ahead run and Nida scored on Nicely’s RBI groundout to increase Alleghany’s lead to 5-3.
The Highlanders threatened in the top of the sixth off reliever Seth Bradley, but Alleghany coach Gary Rice elected to bring in Ashby Taylor in relief and Taylor escaped the inning unscathed.
Taylor set the Highlanders down in order in the top of the seventh, recording a strikeout to preserve the Alleghany win and record his first save of the year.
Groves and Vaughan paced Alleghany’s eight-hit attack with two hits each with Groves adding two runs scored.
“Jerrod (Groves) and Cody (Nida) were able to get on base in the top of the fifth and come around to score and then Ashby did a really good job of coming on in relief,” said Rice. “He used a great breaking ball to keep their hitters off balance.”
Vaughan started on the mound for the Mountaineers and went four innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits. He struck out six and walked two in recording the no decision.
Bradley picked up the mound win in relief, allowing just two hits in an inning and a third. Taylor pitched one a two-thirds innings of no-hit ball in relief, striking out two.
“Jacob struggled a little on the mound today, but it was his first start and I expect him to get things straightened out,” said Rice. “Glenvar is not a bad baseball team. Their pitcher did an excellent job of keeping things low in the zone. We did what we had to do to get a win.”
Alleghany now takes a week off before returning to action next Thursday at home when they play host to Bath County at 4:30 p.m.
