PREP BASEBALL: Giants sweep, eliminate Wildcats

When Senior Day was over, the words of Aaron Lamb stood out above all others, “Chicken, chicken, winner, dinner.”

And even though just several dust-covered teammates knew what the meant, it rang true.

Waynesboro was a winner, twice, defeating Rockbridge County 9-0 and 4-3 and several seniors, probably the ones that double as wrestlers in their spare time — Steven Brown and Lamb — will probably indulge in some chicken goodness to celebrate.

Joseph Lucas dominated the first game on the mound, striking out eight and walking two while giving up two hits in a complete-game shutout.

The Little Giant offense turned up the heat on the broiler in the fourth inning to pull away from the Wildcats, batting around in the inning.

After consecutive singles from J.T. Talley and Tyler Davis, Lamb doubled. Two more doubles from Terrell Thompson and Lucas were capped with singles from Jimmy Eavers and Tyler Briggs to put five runs across the plate and extend the lead to nine runs.

“I liked that we were visitors and got that run in the top of the first,” Lucas said. “After the first inning, I was just cruising.”

The second game was a little different for Lucas.

After laboring through two innings into a 3-all tie, Brown came in for relief. The big right-hander set down the Wildcats with ease, throwing 57 pitches over five innings.

“Steven came in and pitched one whale of a ballgame,” said Waynesboro coach Webber Payne. “He threw strikes and the defense made the plays. He did a great job and I’m proud of the boys.”

In the fourth inning, Brown threw 11 pitches.

“I was in the zone, I was just in the zone,” Brown said with a big smile on his face. “I’m not going to lie to you, I was just hitting the mitt.”

Not to be outdone by himself, Brown got through the seventh, and final, inning on six pitches.

“Double play, double play,” Brown credited to his small pitch total. “I had the double play thanks to Drew [DeMoss].”

Brandon Miller lined out to DeMoss with one out in the seventh and with a runner moving. DeMoss had no trouble making the throw from right field to Lucas on first to end the inning.

Brown singled in the bottom of the seventh and after two outs advanced the runner to third, a dribbler up the middle by DeMoss ended the game, closing out the final home games for the seniors.

Waynesboro travels to Stuarts Draft today.

Due to the wins, both Waynesboro and Draft, along with Lee have locked up berths in the Southern Valley District tournament. The final games of the season will determine seedings.