Leemen top Draft in district matchup

STUARTS DRAFT — After four postponements to start the season, Robert E. Lee finally hit the diamond, but had to take on Southern Valley District rival Stuarts Draft.

The Leemen didn’t need any time to shake off the preseason rust, scoring four runs — including a Travis Smiley two-run home run in the second – to earn a 4-2 district win.

“I’d rather not start off with a district game but it is huge confidence boost, especially when you have four-straight rainouts and haven’t been on a field against another team in two weeks,” said Lee coach Bobby Humphrey.

The Cougars stranded nine runners, six of which were in scoring position, and bunted into a triple play in the fourth. The Cougars have left 18 runners on in their last two games.

“There are just so many runners left on base this week,” said Draft coach Josh Podgorski. “I bet we have left 12 to 15 runners on base in scoring position this week with less than two outs.”

In the top of the second with two outs, Smiley put the first two ticks on the scoreboard after hitting a booming homer over the right field fence to also bring in T.J. Johnson.

“[Draft’s Jeremy Fitzgerald] hung a curve ball,” Smiley said. “We have a saying on the team, ‘you hang them, we bang them.’ I was looking for it and took it to the short side of the field.”

The Cougars removed their goose egg from the board in the fourth after Jon Trice reached first on a Lee error, was moved to second by a Joey Bridge sacrifice and scored on a Ben Cook single to left.

Still in the fourth, with Bridge on second and Cook on first and no outs, the Cougars called for the bunt with John Nye at the plate. Nye’s bunt popped up to Lee pitcher Chandis Goff who made the play and rifled the throw to Smiley on first catching Cook off the bag. Draft’s Bridge was already on his way to third and Smiley made the throw to second for the 1-3-6 triple play.

“The triple play was great,” Smiley said. “Chandis made a great diving play and threw it over to me and the runners didn’t see the catch, and I kinda stiffened up and made a bad throw but we got it.”

The triple play took the life out of the Cougars’ already struggling offense.

“I’ll take responsibly for the triple play, maybe I shouldn’t have bunted the guy,” Podgorski said. “They deserve to win and they outperformed us. Maybe we’ll get to the point where those balls find holes for us. It’s game four we will see what happens.”

Draft did add one more score in the fifth to knot the game after David Gauldin reached first on an infield single and scored after two more Lee errors.

Lee took the lead again in the sixth when Joseph Wood reached home on a passed ball. Terrell Mickens scored the insurance run in the seventh, hitting a long solo home run over the right field fence.

Draft’s Jeremy Fitzgerald took the loss after pitching into the seventh inning. Podgorski said that Fitzgerald’s pitching was strong.

“Jeremy pitched a great game, we just didn’t get any runs,” Podgorski said.

Fitzgerald finished the day with nine strikeouts and allowed seven hits.

Goff took the win for Lee, pitching six and two-thirds innings while striking out five. Wood earned the save.

The Leemen (1-0, 1-0 Southern Valley) will return to action on Monday, hosting Turner Ashby. Stuarts Draft (1-3, 0-1 Southern Valley) will host Fort Defiance on Tuesday.