Behind a strong performance by three pitchers, the Yorktown Patriots nipped the host McLean Highlanders, 2-1, in extra innings April 29 in a key Liberty District high-school baseball game.
Yorktown (9-8, 6-3) scored the winning run in the top of the eighth inning when Bradley Labant tripled home Kyle Langley, who had singled for his third hit of the night. Labant’s triple was a misjudged fly ball to left field.
The Patriots scored their first run in the third when Langley tripled home Jack Rucker, who had doubled. Ketz Murray had Yorktown’s other hit.
Left-hander James Tallon started for Yorktown and pitched three scoreless innings, allowing one hit and struck out eight with two walks. Rucker pitched 31/3 innings of relief with four Ks. John Sharkey worked the final 11/3 of hitless and scoreless ball with two strikeouts to pick up the win.
The victory keeps Yorktown in the running to finish first or second in the district standings.
“The pitching was great, we got timely hits, made big plays and battled,” Yorktown coach John Skaggs said. “The guys really stepped up.”
* In its previous game, Yorktown rallied to nip the Washington-Liberty Generals, 6-5, as Murray worked six innings to get the win. He did not allow an earned run and struck out five. Yorktown survived three errors.
Langley homered and Ryan Powers, J.J. Foti and Mateo Cardinale each had two hits, with Issac Hobbs having an RBI single.
For W-L, Luke Harnishfeger had two hits and one RBI, Jake Guffey had two RBI, and Tyler Dinan had a hit and an RBI.
* In Washington-Liberty’s 8-6 win over Marshall, Patrick Ashley had two hits, Quinn Brennan also had two hits and an RBI, Mark Haines had a hit and two RBI, Logan Springberg had one hit and one RBI, and Guffey homered and had two RBI.
Will Thompson was the winning pitcher with six strong innings of relief. He scattered seven hits, did not allow an earned run, fanned two and threw 96 pitches.