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Raiders
hand Vikes their first district loss
By
Keith McMillan and Brian Hunsicker
Staff
Writers
Things finally fell together for Stonewall Jackson.
After a series of near-misses against some of the area’s best teams,
the Raiders broke through for a 10-4 win over Woodbridge on Tuesday night.
The win avenges a loss to the Vikings in the Eddie Hope Tournament at
Hylton. The Raiders had Woodbridge on the ropes, but a seventh-inning grand
slam by Joe McLain gave the win to the Vikings.
“We had great pitching, good defense and timely hitting for the
first time all year,” said Stonewall head coach Andy Devitt. “It
was a turning point as far as confidence.”
The loss in the Hope Tournament, along with the fact that Stonewall’s
seniors had never beaten Woodbridge, were intangible factors in the win.
“We were up to play them, considering how they beat us last time,”
Devitt added. “We came out and played hard, and everything went well.”
With all the competition in the Cardinal District, Devitt knows that
his team will need some more efforts like that to improve their standing.
“We don’t want to circle one day on the calendar and say we have
to have that one, because all the games we have to have,” Devitt explained.
“As competitive as the district is, we have to play almost perfect
every night.”
BATTLING FOR FIRST
After Friday’s 5-3 win over Hylton put three games between Woodbridge
and two of its closest challengers for the Cardinal District title, the
Vikings did some simple math.
If Woodbridge, 6-0 in the district at the time, could keep winning, the
district title would be theirs.
“If you can stay undefeated,” said first-year head coach Frank
Chimento, “it puts pressure on the district, because they can’t do
anything about it if you keep winning.”
Potomac, in second place on Friday at 5-1 in the district, was feeling
that pressure. The Panthers, who hadn’t been beaten since late March, were
hoping for the Vikings to falter.
Woodbridge obliged with a district loss to Stonewall on Tuesday, but
Potomac could not gain any ground. The Panthers lost 4-3 to Osbourn Park.
The Vikings, who felt they hadn’t been playing to their potential, called
Friday’s win a confidence-builder.
“It’s a very big boost,” said Chimento, “because we were
playing an outstanding team (Hylton) with outstanding pitchers. To be able
to win a game after you don’t feel you’re playing as well as you could,
I can’t tell you what kind of confidence booster it is for the whole team.”
HELBRINGER COMES THROUGH FOR HYLTON
With Osbourn ahead of Hylton 2-0 early in their game on Tuesday night,
Bulldog senior Mike Helbringer had a chance to cut into the lead. He didn’t
disappoint.
With teammate Joel Miller standing on third, Helbringer hit a solid single
to rightfield, scoring Miller. The play not only cut into the Eagle lead,
but set up the strategy for later in the game.
In the ninth and the game tied 3-3, Helbringer faced a nearly identical
situation: Runners on the corners, one out. A hit wins the game; a soft
grounder has the potential of being a double play, getting Osbourn out of
trouble.
Once again, Helbringer didn’t disappoint.
He made solid contact, driving the ball to Osbourn second baseman Ricky
Pasquariello. But it was enough to allow Adam Redd score the game-winning
run.
“He wanted to hit, and he had gotten a hit earlier,” said Bulldogs
coach John Colantouni after the game. “I was thinking squeeze, but
he hit the ball hard. It’s good to see a senior step up.
“The double play scared me, but it was just a situation where I
was going to let him swing the bat.”
Helbringer also went 2 for 4 and had an RBI in the Bulldogs’ 3-0 win
over Stonewall on Wednesday.
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