Cosby – Hits and precipitation rained down on Henrico (16-7) as Cosby (17-2) showed its strength in the Central Region with a 7-2 quarter-final victory. The game ended in the top of the sixth when heavy rains soaked the field at Cosby High School.
The “Titans” used three home runs to jump out to a 7-0 lead. The “Warriors” scratched out two runs in the top of the sixth when the heavens opened up and washed out any hopes for a Henrico come back.
Shoulder soreness kept Henrico ace Seth Cutler-Voltz from pitching or playing defensively. Sophomore lefty Paul Bateera got the start. Cosby was led by left-hander Hunter Ackerman.
“We thought a steady diet of curve balls from Paul might be effective against the power-hitting of Cosby,” said Henrico head coach Ken Schrad. “Knowing they would get their hits, we put the best defensive team we could behind him and at times it worked.”
Bateera coaxed Cosby hitters into 10 pop fly outs. Several were in the outfield gaps that were tracked down and caught by center fielder Eric Thornton. Unfortunately, three fly balls left the yard, two of them with a man on. “No defense for that,” said Schrad.
Adam Toombs led off the game with a double for Henrico. He was left stranded at third base.
Bradley Shaban singled for Cosby. He was not stranded. Dustin Sollars followed with a blast over the fence in left field.
In the third inning, Cosby catcher Jake Lowery hit a solo home run to straight away center field.
In the fifth, Tadd Bower doubled. Lowery followed with his second home run. This one also sailed over the center field fence. Ryan Parker then doubled. He moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. He scored on a sac fly to right field. Mitchell Shifflett walked and stole second base. He scored on an RBI single by Ronnie Shaban. The inning ended when Shaban was picked off at first base.
In the sixth, it started sprinkling and Henrico started making some noise. With one out, Michael Mansfield hit a sharp grounder to short that was not fielded cleanly and scored a base hit. Running for the catcher, Dorsel Robinson advanced to third on a double to right field by Alvin Hence. Robinson scored on Bateera’s single to center field while Hence advanced to third. He scored on a sharp grounder by Andrew Props that was not fielded cleanly at third base.
With two outs and runners at first and third, the approaching storm hit with a heavy downpour. Within minutes the field was drenched, the umpires called the game on the suspension rule (5 innings played making it a complete game) and Henrico’s season was over.
“We didn’t have the chance to shake hands, to tell our opponent good game, or bring any sense of closure for achieving the best we could this season,” said Schrad. “Our seniors, who helped resurrect this Henrico program, deserved a better ending then this.”