Mustangs stay undefeated; put out Dragons
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
DODSONVILLE — To say the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs are playing solid baseball is an understatement.
On Monday against the West Union Dragons, the Mustangs continued to battle their way to the Southern Hills League championship as they used near flawless defense, along with blazing pitching and timely hitting for a 5-1 win over their SHL foe.
The Mustangs (4-0, 7-0) have scored 45 runs in the past three games with 15-2 and 25-15 victories over Georgetown this past Saturday.
On the mound Monday LC senior Cody Roush showed why he is a four-year starter at the varsity level. Roush gained his third win of the season (3-0) with a complete seven innings on the mound, striking out nine batters. Roush allowed one run (none earned) on seven hits and two walks.
As for the offense of the Mustangs they scored runs in three different innings, jumping out to a four-run lead after the first two.
Dalton Cox leaped out of the gate early for the Mustangs as he tripled to right field to lead off the inning. With one out Roush helped himself out with an RBI-double to score Cox.
Ray Doss followed with a base hit and Ryan Doss hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Roush for the early 2-0 lead. Ryan Doss was also hit by a pitch in the third inning.
LC added two runs to their cause in the bottom of the second to take a 4-0 lead.
The inning began with Dallas Puckett reaching on an infield error by the Dragons. With two outs Cox forced a base on balls. Austin Fawley followed with a run scoring single to plate Puckett. Cox scored on a throwing error to third base.
Roush responded on the mound by striking out two in the third, as he also struck out two in the previous inning. Of his first four strikeouts, three were called strike three's.
"Cody celebrated his birthday today and he has been steady for us." LC head coach Aric Fiscus said. "I put a lot of responsibility on him because he is a four-year senior starter and we don't have that happen too often around here. Tonight (Monday) was his best performance so far this year."
Harp of West Union made a big out play in the bottom of the third with an unassisted double play as he made a diving catch and touched second base with his glove as the LC runner broke for third.
The Mustangs made the score 5-0 with a short two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth.
With two outs Cox singled to reach first base. Cox took second on an errant throw and stole third. Fawley capitalized with a base hit to center field to score Cox. Cox finished 2-for-3 with three runs and one walk. Fawley went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
"We get players on base and we try to put pressure on the opponent," Fiscus said. "It helps our pitching quite a bit to get runners on and to score runs early. It helps the overall morale of the team."
The lone West Union run came in the top of the fifth with Richmond scoring the run. Puckett made a big play with bases loaded as he scooped the ball, as a diving teammate missed, then threw the ball to first base for the final out of the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth Wes Pierson forced a walk and Aaron Skaggs hit a double for LC.
Roush struck out two batters each in four different innings, including the top of the fifth and sixth innings.
Brad Grooms pitched a complete game for the Dragons as he was charged with the loss. Grooms allowed seven hits and finished with one strikeout.
In the game the Dragons committed four errors, with LC having one.
"Like the old saying goes,'Defense wins championships,'" Fiscus said. "We are looking at the bigger picture, but with respect to our opponents. Our defense is improving and what we do in practice, 70 percent is defense. Down the road we will need our defense if we want to be successful."
The win lifts the Mustangs to 7-0 overall, 4-0 in the SHL.
LC will host Highland County rival Fairfield at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
BOX SCORE
WUHS - 000 010 0 - 1 7 4
LCHS - 220 100 x - 5 7 1[[In-content Ad]]
On Monday against the West Union Dragons, the Mustangs continued to battle their way to the Southern Hills League championship as they used near flawless defense, along with blazing pitching and timely hitting for a 5-1 win over their SHL foe.
The Mustangs (4-0, 7-0) have scored 45 runs in the past three games with 15-2 and 25-15 victories over Georgetown this past Saturday.
On the mound Monday LC senior Cody Roush showed why he is a four-year starter at the varsity level. Roush gained his third win of the season (3-0) with a complete seven innings on the mound, striking out nine batters. Roush allowed one run (none earned) on seven hits and two walks.
As for the offense of the Mustangs they scored runs in three different innings, jumping out to a four-run lead after the first two.
Dalton Cox leaped out of the gate early for the Mustangs as he tripled to right field to lead off the inning. With one out Roush helped himself out with an RBI-double to score Cox.
Ray Doss followed with a base hit and Ryan Doss hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Roush for the early 2-0 lead. Ryan Doss was also hit by a pitch in the third inning.
LC added two runs to their cause in the bottom of the second to take a 4-0 lead.
The inning began with Dallas Puckett reaching on an infield error by the Dragons. With two outs Cox forced a base on balls. Austin Fawley followed with a run scoring single to plate Puckett. Cox scored on a throwing error to third base.
Roush responded on the mound by striking out two in the third, as he also struck out two in the previous inning. Of his first four strikeouts, three were called strike three's.
"Cody celebrated his birthday today and he has been steady for us." LC head coach Aric Fiscus said. "I put a lot of responsibility on him because he is a four-year senior starter and we don't have that happen too often around here. Tonight (Monday) was his best performance so far this year."
Harp of West Union made a big out play in the bottom of the third with an unassisted double play as he made a diving catch and touched second base with his glove as the LC runner broke for third.
The Mustangs made the score 5-0 with a short two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth.
With two outs Cox singled to reach first base. Cox took second on an errant throw and stole third. Fawley capitalized with a base hit to center field to score Cox. Cox finished 2-for-3 with three runs and one walk. Fawley went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
"We get players on base and we try to put pressure on the opponent," Fiscus said. "It helps our pitching quite a bit to get runners on and to score runs early. It helps the overall morale of the team."
The lone West Union run came in the top of the fifth with Richmond scoring the run. Puckett made a big play with bases loaded as he scooped the ball, as a diving teammate missed, then threw the ball to first base for the final out of the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth Wes Pierson forced a walk and Aaron Skaggs hit a double for LC.
Roush struck out two batters each in four different innings, including the top of the fifth and sixth innings.
Brad Grooms pitched a complete game for the Dragons as he was charged with the loss. Grooms allowed seven hits and finished with one strikeout.
In the game the Dragons committed four errors, with LC having one.
"Like the old saying goes,'Defense wins championships,'" Fiscus said. "We are looking at the bigger picture, but with respect to our opponents. Our defense is improving and what we do in practice, 70 percent is defense. Down the road we will need our defense if we want to be successful."
The win lifts the Mustangs to 7-0 overall, 4-0 in the SHL.
LC will host Highland County rival Fairfield at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
BOX SCORE
WUHS - 000 010 0 - 1 7 4
LCHS - 220 100 x - 5 7 1[[In-content Ad]]