Duncan Nixon
The top two baseball teams in the Jefferson District met April 30 at Fluvanna’s Sheridan Field. The Flucos entered 6-0 in district play and 10-3 overall, while the Bulldogs came in 5-1 in the district and 10-2 overall.
It was the Bulldogs’ night.
The Bulldogs struck first in the top of the first inning, loading the bases with one out on an error, a single, and a walk. Their run scored on a rare balk call. Fluco pitcher Tramayne Minor responded with two clutch strikeouts to limit the damage.
The second inning was the killer for the Flucos. With two outs and a runner on, a Bulldogs batter drove a deep ball to right-center. The Fluco center fielder nearly made the catch, but the ball slipped out of his glove for a triple. A walk and two solid singles followed, leading to a four-run inning that effectively put the game out of reach.
The Bulldogs added two more runs in the third to extend the lead to seven. Meanwhile, the Flucos struggled offensively, remaining hitless through the first five innings.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Loving brothers accounted for Fluvanna’s only hits and run. Sophomore outfielder Jacob Loving led off with a single to left, followed by a sharply hit single to center by senior shortstop Sam Loving. After advancing on a bunt, Jacob scored on a wild pitch.
Junior Brody Shields came in from second base to pitch in the fourth and kept the Bulldogs scoreless the rest of the way. He struck out four over four innings, relying largely on well-placed curveballs.
After the game, coach Jacob Critzer summed it up simply: “This is baseball.” The Flucos entered the matchup riding an eight-game winning streak but came away with a lopsided loss, a reminder of the sport’s unpredictability.
Fluvanna faces a busy May schedule. The Flucos traveled to Goochland on May 1 for a rematch and will follow with three Jefferson District road games. The regular season concludes with home matchups against Western Albemarle and Louisa on May 14 and May 19. While it’s still early, the Flucos are likely to be in the playoff mix.
