By Duncan Nixon
Correspondent
The Fluco baseball team trailed the Blue Streaks from Harrisonburg 6-3 going into the bottom of the sixth, on the Ides of March. It was the next to last inning. The Flucos sent ten batters to the plate in the inning, scoring six to take a 9-6 lead, which was the final score.
The Flucos rally started innocently enough with a hit batter and a walk. Junior left-fielder Jackson Fields then laid down a perfect bunt for a base hit that loaded the bases. Sophomore Kyle Harris singled for two runs making the score 6-5. Senior Jackson Harris then delivered a nice bunt for a sacrifice and the first out of the inning. Lead-off batter Sam Loving walked to load the bases again. A slow bouncer to third by sophomore relief pitcher Carson Raines left the Harrisonburg third baseman with no choice but to take the out at first, as the tying run scored. Junior catcher Cody Peck then lofted a high fly to deep right center. The center fielder could not track down the wind-swept ball and Peck dashed all the way to third for a two-run triple. Peck scored on a wild pitch to score the sixth run of the inning for the Flucos.
In the top of the seventh, Raines retired the Blue Streaks in order on a strike-out and two infield ground outs, to preserve the win.
Harrisonburg took the lead in the top of the first scoring two runs on a single, three walks and a hit batter. With only one out and the bases loaded, Fluco Coach Joel Gray went to the mound to talk with his pitcher, Caleb Crawford. Whatever Gray said was effective. Crawford got out of the inning with a strike out and a routine ground out. After Gray’s trip to the mound, Crawford retired 11 of the next 12 batters. The Flucos tied the game with single runs in the first and third innings with the help of some walks and misplays by Harrisonburg. Unfortunately, the Flucos returned the compliment and allowed two runs in the fifth and two in the sixth mostly on walks and errors.
The six-run rally described above followed, to take the Flucos to a 2-1 record early in the season. This was an unusual game as there were more runs than hits. The Flucos scored nine runs with only five hits, while the Blue Streaks scored six runs with only two hits.
On March 26 the Flucos hosted Charlottesville High and on March 28 they traveled to Albemarle. They return home on April 4 to play Liberty Christian Academy, and they then host Western Albemarle on April 9.
