PREP BASEBALL: Fort hammers Draft

FORT DEFIANCE – When Fort Defiance got leadoff hitters aboard they brought them in — and then some — drubbing Stuarts Draft 14-4 to win the Shenandoah Valley District tournament Thursday.

The Fighting Indians capitalized on nine walks and delivered four two-out run-scoring hits.

Fort senior starting pitcher Righty Wright struck out two Cougars in the first inning, then stroked an RBI single past a drawn-in infield in the bottom of the inning for the game’s first run.

Wright reached base four times and had four RBI. He pitched five innings, striking out seven, allowing two hits and no runs for the win. He had Cougars chasing balls down in the zone all night, and induced five groundball outs.

“It’s hard to hit a ball low in the zone,” Wright said. “My guys played good defense behind me … I didn’t have to strike out everybody.”

“We’re making less than one error per game,” Fort head coach Vic Spotts said.

Fort hitters knocked four extra-base hits, but their patience also led to runs. Draft walked six in a row in the third, as Fort took an 11-0 lead.

“They kicked our tail tonight,” Draft head coach Joe Podgorski said. “They deserve the credit.”

Draft scored three in the seventh off hard-throwing Fort reliever Derek Shifflett. But Fort had done damage early, fueled by plenty of chatter on the bench.

“In the games we don’t keep upbeat, we hurt,” said junior designated hitter Timmy Miller, who scored three runs in the game. “We’re going to need to keep staying hot.”

Fort will host a Region III game Tuesday.

“Hopefully we can continue to peak,” Spotts said.

Draft hosts Harrisonburg Monday.