Matt Gwaltney is punishing the baseball.
by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
Matt Gwaltney blasted two home runs and posted five RBI to lead Matoaca over Lee-Davis 8-4 Thursday afternoon in the Spring Break Blast.
The designated hitter finished 4 for 4. His other two hits were singles as his team went on to finish the Spring Break Blast unbeaten, collecting four wins in two days after taking down Atlee 15-6 in Thursday's capper.
"They just came off the bat real well," Gwaltney said of his round-tripers. "I was just seeing the ball real good. They just got out I guess. We all hit good today. It felt good."
Said Matoaca coach Fred Stoots of Gwaltney: "He broke his foot in the spring of 2007. He broke his foot in the ball. He is just DH'ing right now. He's probably my best arm, too."
Michael Howerton's arm is not bad, either.
After Matoaca, ranked ninth in the latest DigitalSports Top 10, went ahead 6-0, four of the runs off of Gwaltney's bat, Lee-Davis responded with a four-run second on starter Brandon Lindsey.
Howerton relieved Lindsay in the third and the Confederates would muster no more runs. Howerton gave up three hits in five shutout innings, constantly deleting possible L-D rallies.
The No. 6 Confederates left 14 runners on base, including 11 in scoring position, in part because of Howerton's pitching.
L-D couldn't take advantage of the effort of their own reliever, Brandon Powers, as he pitched five strong for the Confederates.
"He's only a sophomore," Stoots said. "He played good. He did a great job."
Matoaca 330 001 1 - 8 7 1
Lee-Davis 004 000 0 - 4 6 4
Lindsey, Howerton (3) and Davis, Peterson (5); Smith, Powers (3) and Musser.
Records: Matoaca (4-1); Lee-Davis (3-2)