Colley Field – Henrico rode the left arm of junior pitcher Paul Bateera to earn a 6-4 Capital District victory over Varina (2-8; 4-13).  His complete game effort assured a third consecutive district playoff appearance for the “Warriors” (4-6; 5-12).

“We told the kids this was like a final exam.  You either pass or you fail,” said Henrico head coach Ken Schrad.  “Although we didn’t ‘Ace’ it, we did enough to qualify for district tourney play and that’s a nice reward for a team that has dealt with its share of adversity this season.”

Henrico put up runs in each of the first three innings off of Varina starter Daniel Stanley. Landon Prentiss' triple got things going fast in the bottom of the first.  He scored on Michael Mansfield’s sacrifice fly RBI.  

In the second, Nick Holmes led off with a single.  Corvell Durham laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt.  Treyvon Robinson followed with an RBI double.

In the third, Mansfield led off with a double.  Jackson Wright, running for the catcher Mansfield, advanced to third on a single by Nick Toombs.  A single by Cody Spain scored Wright.  Holmes followed with a fielder’s choice ground out moving Toombs up to third base.  With Holmes on the move to steal second base and avoid any double-play attempt, Durham hit a ground ball to deep short that allowed Toombs to score.  The only play was to get Durham out at first.

Meanwhile, Bateera was cruising along until the top of the third inning.  With two outs, Julius Stokes and Travis Peters hit back-to-back safeties.  Peters’ hit was a line drive to center that was almost caught at the shoe tops by Holmes.  When the ball scooted behind him, Stokes was waived home.  The relay to the plate was on time, but just after making the tag the ball popped out of Mansfield’s glove and Stokes was safe.

Stokes caused more damage in the top of the fifth.  Jimmy Cole reached on an error.  Stokes then followed with a two run home run. 

Varina tied the game in the sixth.  Austin McKim led off with a double.  Stanley reached on an error to put runners on the corners.  Damien Cotman doubled down the third base line to score McKim.  Runners were at second and third.  With the infield in, Sam Lawhorne struck out on a curve ball in the dirt.  Mansfield threw him out at first base.  The Varina base runner broke for home.  The return throw by Spain to Mansfield resulted in a double play tag out at the plate.

In the bottom of the sixth, Spain walked.  He advanced to second on a passed ball. Durrell Harris entered to pinch run.  It proved to be a good move.  Harris advanced to third on a failed pick off attempt at second base. Holmes was then hit by a pitch.  Harris scored on a weak grounder up the middle by Durham.  Holmes advanced too because he was on the move to second base and the only play was to get Durham at first.  Robinson followed with a single to score Holmes.

“Trey had a good night at the plate,” said Schrad.  “He had to because his glove play was ugly at least three times at second base. With a sophomore, you get the good and the bad.  You just have to be patient,” Schrad added.

Bateera kept Varina scoreless in the seventh.  Although the first batter reached on an error, he followed with a strike out and two ground outs to get the complete game victory.  Henrico is the fourth seed in next week’s Capital District Tourney at Hanover High School.