PREP BASEBALL: Draft routs Waynesboro

STUARTS DRAFT – Early scoring opportunities took Stuarts Draft to an 11-3 win over Waynesboro on Thursday.

The Cougars pummeled the Little Giants in the first inning, scoring nine of their 11 runs at their first at bat.

“We just weren’t ready to play,” said Waynesboro coach Webber Payne. “[Draft] came ready to play and ready to win. We were sluggish.”

After a quick round of defense, the Cougars came up to bat with their claws out. David Gauldin led off with a walk and Jeremy Fitzgerald followed up with a bunt down the third-base line, beating the throw to first. Ricky Dimitt then hit a slow roller to short. With the bases loaded Cole Beyeler took a walk to plate Gauldin..

Jonathan Sandridge followed with a hard grounder past third, scoring Fitzgerald and still keeping the bases loaded. Jon Trice flew out to center, but that didn’t stop the Cougars, it didn’t even slow them down.

With the score at 2-0, Cody Bridge stepped to the plate and hit another hard grounder right down the third-base line, scoring both Dimitt and Beyeler. Ben Cook followed with a sacrifice bunt up the middle, moving the runners into scoring position. Tyler Brydge’s walk loaded the bases yet again for Draft.

The Cougars were back at the top of their line-up, but Payne had had enough and switched pitchers from John Plonk to Tyler Briggs.

“John hadn’t pitched in a while and he just didn’t have anything tonight,” said Payne.

Gauldin broke in the new pitcher fast with a hard hit to right field, scoring Sandridge. Fitzgerald then ripped one up the middle, scoring both Bridge and Brydge. Dimitt then dug in and sent a high flyer to the left field fence, inches shy of a homerun, and scored Gauldin. Beyeler hit a slow roller to the first baseman and out ran the throw, allowing Fitzgerald to score. A pop-up straight to the left fielder from Sandridge ended the inning. The Cougars led 9-0 going into the second.

“The key is hitting the ball,” Payne said. “We didn’t and they did.”

Both teams went scoreless until the fourth inning when Jimmy Eavers scored off of an Aaron Lamb RBI for the Little Giants. Drew DeMoss followed with a long hit to right field, scoring Tyler Briggs. The Cougars answered with a run of their own in the fourth off of a hard hit from Gauldin that popped up off of the mound, sending Bridge home, putting the score at 10-2.

The fifth inning saw Dimitt score off of a Little Giant error, putting the score at 11-2 for the Cougars.

Waynesboro scored its final run in the seventh from Steven Brown’s solid line drive to center field, scoring Terrell Thompson.

“We started the game off well and were fortunate enough to get the win,” Stuarts Draft coach Josh Podgorski said.”

Both Waynesboro and Stuarts Draft are 4-4 in the Southern Valley District.

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