By Duncan Nixon, Correspondent
The lead-off batter for the Charlottesville Black Knights managed a soft single up the middle. That was the only hit given up by Fluco starter Shaun Holyfield in Thursday’s (May 10) home baseball game.
Holyfield struck out eight in six innings, while walking five and hitting one batter. The Black Knights did not get a ball out of the infield after their first hit.
The defensive play of the game for the Flucos came in the second inning when they turned in a smooth double play with second baseman Kyle Algieri scooping a ground ball and flipping it to shortstop Cameron Shields who fired to Kevin Ward at first to end the inning. After the game, Coach Joel Gray stated that he was really happy to see Holyfield put it all together in this game.
The Fluco offense was steady, but not explosive, for most of the game. Though the first six innings, the Flucos managed six runs on only three hits. In the first inning, the Flucos scored all the runs they would need. Shields walked, batting second. Third baseman Jacob Critzer followed with a vicious line drive to the left field corner for an RBI double. Two wild pitches brought Critzer home and the Flucos had a 2-0 lead after one.
The walk and the wild pitches were a harbinger of what was to come. The Black Knights’ pitchers had serious control troubles throughout the game. They walked nine in six innings and hit one batter. They also had numerous wild pitches and a few passed balls.
The Flucos scored single runs in the third and the fourth to up their lead to 4-0. In the third, three walks and a wild pitch resulted in a run without a hit. In the fourth, an error and a walk put two Flucos on base and centerfielder Dashon Carter ripped a double to score one.
The Flucos added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Kevin Ward had a solid single for the Flucos and the Charlottesville pitchers walked four in the inning. Both runs scored on wild pitches. After five the Flucos had a very comfortable 6-0 lead, with Holyfield mowing down the Black Knights.
The game ended in the bottom of the sixth when the Flucos pushed across four more runs. A 10- run lead any time after five innings of play results in the game being declared over. Again the Flucos were helped by wild Charlottesville pitching and the Flucos also had a couple solid hits. With one out, Shields was hit by a pitch. After a second out, Kevin Ward walked and Andrew Ward smashed a long double off the right field fence to score two.
Holyfield reached on an error with Ward moving to third. Ward scored and Holyfield took second on another wild pitch. Algieri slashed a single that brought in the 10th run and ended the game.
The Fluco baseball team is now 10-5, and Gray said the team is in serious contention for an automatic play-off slot.
The team lost to Waynesboro 1-3 at home May 14 and were scheduled to play Powhatan at home May 15. Powhatan is the District powerhouse with a high ranking in the State.
On May 17 the Flucos will travel to Albemarle High, and the regular schedule season ends with a game at home on May 22 against Western Albemarle. With this kind of closing schedule, Gray was quick to note that he hopes Andrew Ward is able to return to pitching, as he is a top hurler for the squad.
