PREP BASEBALL: Lee ends 9-year region drought, knocks out Giants

The momentum from the first batter lasted up until the very last for Robert E. Lee as it beat Waynesboro 9-2 in the Southern Valley District consolation game on Thursday to gain the final Region III bid. This will be the first time the Leemen have made the region tournament in nine years.

Lee’s combination of hard hitting and precision defense made it difficult for Waynesboro to even get a run on the board.

The Leemen scored four runs in their first at bat. Terrell Mickens led off for the Leemen with a short bouncer to the pitcher, his quick feet getting him to first before the throw. A strike out from Chandler Roberts put Joseph Wood up to bat and his long fly to the right-center fence brought in Mickens for the first run of the game.

A sacrifice from Taylor Davis moved Wood into scoring position for Lee and Taylor Knicely’s hard liner straight at the pitcher scored Wood. Zachary Bowles’ hit moved Knicely to third and, with Bowles getting caught in a pickle between first and second, Knicely took advantage of the Little Giants’ loss of focus and scored. Travis Johnson then shot one out to the centerfield fence, scoring Bowles.

“We came off the bus focused and stayed up throughout the game,” Robert E. Lee coach Bobby Humphrey said. “The first was a good motivational inning.”

The Leemen scored in all but three of the seven innings and every player had at least one hit in the game.

“Tuesday’s game took it out of the boys,” said Waynesboro coach Webber Payne. “Mentally we were zapped, but I’m not taking away anything from Lee. When we did hit the ball they would make a heck of a play.”

The Little Giants were able to put some runs on the board in the second inning, their only runs however. Steven Brown led off for Waynesboro with a hard grounder to third, which the third baseman for Lee, Eric Chadwell, managed to snag but didn’t get it in time to first. J.T. Talley then ripped a liner up the middle, scoring Brown. Jimmy Eavers then followed with a long shot to the left field fence, scoring Talley. The Leemen quickly put a stop to the Little Giants scoring, though.

“They [Lee] got four in the first,” Payne said. “Terrell Thompson led off but always hit it right at somebody, he’s our key. Tonight was do or die.”

Lee will be on the road on Monday for the Region III tournament.

“If we play like today, keep up the momentum and the intensity, then we have a good chance of winning,” Humphrey said.