AHS Bombs Botetourt

By Mark Pifer, Contributing Writer 

            The baseball teams from Lord Botetourt and Alleghany high schools combined for 18 runs, 11 hits, including two grand slam home runs, eight walks and two hit batters.

     A wild game?

     No, try a wild fourth inning!

     The Mounties answered 10 Cavalier top of the fourth runs with eight of their own in the ho

 ß HIEFIE SFI        .00                          Þ \wire1\<By MARK PIFER>\qcr\ <Staff Writer>\qc\me half of the inning on the way to a crazy 21-10 Blue Ridge District baseball five-inning win Tuesday at Mountaineer Field.

     Led by Liberty-bound first baseman Steven Keener, the Alleghany offense shined in their four at-bats.

     Keener slugged his fifth and sixth home runs of the year

 a three-run tape measure blast in the first and a grand slam in the fourth

 and drove in seven, Skyler Keene added his fifth homer of the season and his second in two days

 a three-run shot in the second

 and Ethan Craft completed back-to-back jacks with Keener in the first.

     Add to the four long balls a Josh Taylor three-hit, three RBI effort, Ryan Kessinger's perfect 3-for-3, four runs scored day from the leadoff spot and catcher Steven Holt's 1-for-1, three walk, four runs scored game and the recipe for the Alleghany offense was well mixed.

     "It's a good thing that we had a good offensive day," said Mountaineer coach Gary Rice. "I had scouted the (Lord Botetourt starting pitcher Patrick) Arnold kid at Cave Spring and he really pitched well."

     But the Cavaliers surrendered 13 runs in the first three innings and looked to be headed home quickly.

     The game as well as the Mountaineer onslaught slowed down in the top of the fourth.

     Alleghany starting pitcher Josh Jordan, who had allowed only one base runner and no hits through three, couldn't get an out in the fourth and by the time the inning was over, the hosts had gone through four pitchers and given up 10 runs.

     Taylor and Taylor Carter both came in from their infield spots to try and stop the bleeding before Tommy Jackson recorded the final two outs.

     Casey Weddle keyed the big Cavalier rally with a grand slam off Taylor.

     Keene, Alleghany's left fielder, prevented what could have been further damage with a spectacular catch on Jacob Branson's sacrifice fly for the second out of the frame.

     "Josh pitched a great three innings," said Rice. "He threw 102 pitches in relief against William Byrd last Tuesday and prior to that his last outing was on April 14th. It's hard to stay sharp. It seems like every time it's his turn to pitch we get rained out. I'll take the blame for some of that.

     "As a team, we have to do a better job pitching on short notice," said Rice about the relief effort.

     "It's not easy to come in and get eight pitches and try to get people out," he added, referring to Taylor and Carter, his second baseman and shortstop. "I know I wouldn't want to have to do it."

     The veteran coach was pleased with how the Mountaineers responded to the adversity.

     After seeing the 13-run lead shrink to 13-10, Alleghany ripped off eight of their own in the bottom half of the inning.

     Carter, Kessinger and Kevin Peterson drew consecutive walks to start the frame and Keener cleared the sacks with his grand-slam.

     Jackson, who finished on the mound to earn his first career save, added an RBI double, while Carter, in his second at-bat of the inning, plated run 21 with a single to left.

     Botetourt (10-6, 0-3) aided Alleghany's offense, issuing 13 walks and hitting a batter.

     The Mountaineers, now 15-1 overall and 3-1 in the BRD, face off with William Byrd (3-1 in the league) in a big district game Friday in Vinton.

     The Terriers were nipped by Northside (2-1) 8-7 on Tuesday.