D’Backs, Bucks meet in Game 7

It’s the game Rockingham County Baseball League fans have dreamed about — and the one that the teams dread.

Tonight, the Clover Hill Bucks and Stuarts Draft Diamondbacks will meet at Buck Bowman Park in Game 7 of the RCBL Championship series.

“I was just thinking today, it has been the most stressful series I ever remember from a coaching standpoint,” said Bucks manager Mike Martin. “There is so much tension with it being so close every game, I feel emotionally shot afterwards.”

Four of the six games have been decided by one run, including Draft’s 5-4 come-from-behind 12-inning victory in Game 4. The Diamondbacks had a chance to clinch the series on Thursday, rallying to take the lead in the eighth but this time the Bucks came out on top to knot the series 3-3.

After taking a 3-1 lead in the series, Draft lost the next two games and will have to finish at Clover Hill’s historic and awkward field.

“The short backstop could impact us or them in a negative way,” Kiser said. “There are some real short areas, the left field line is real short. It’s a smaller park then ours and they are considered bigger hitters … but far as the fans and home field advantage, I don’t see that as a factor.”

One problem the Diamondbacks faced in Games 5 and 6 was the loss of shortstop and RCBL rookie of the year Jay Thompson. Thompson had to return to classes at Lenoir Community College this week in North Carolina and was unable to play, putting a hole in Draft’s solid infield. Thompson will be making the trip back to the Valley today and Kiser plans to have him and his bat back in the lineup. Thompson recorded 30 hits during the regular season with seven doubles.

“If Jay returns, and he will as long as traffic is OK, I will have all four infielders in their normal spots,” Kiser said. “The first three games they never made an error. They’ve been extremely effective, hopefully they do that one more game this year.”

The Bucks are also missing some names from the roster due to school obligations, notably four-game winner James Lucas who attends Clemson University in South Carolina. 

“Still talking with a couple,” Martin said. “I know some would like to be there but just can’t.”

On Thursday, the Diamondbacks threw their ace Ryan Cooper trying to end the series at six and also pitched Jake Rule, Draft’s Game 1 winner, in relief. Kiser said that he plans to pitch Bandon Zollman tonight and Rule could also see action in the later innings. Zollman will have had four days rest since his last outing.

The Bucks are planning to throw John Sinclair and have a variety of options in relief. Several of the Bucks’ relief pitchers have yet to see action in the series. Sinclair had a 2.29 ERA during the regular season.

Martin and Kiser both said that this year’s championship series has been good for the RCBL and is generating a lot of interest from fans. In past seasons, the Bucks have been the dominant force in the league winning five out of the last six championships.

“This was the series people were dreaming about,” Kiser said. “We wanted it done in four, but the fans wanted this.”

“What we have been hearing in the county league meetings is some talk about there not being enough parity in the league and its not good when one team is dominate,” Martin said. “I would beg to differ. We see it all during the regular season, everyone has been measuring up against us and it has raised everyone’s game.”

Draft is mostly a young team. The franchise has only been in existence for about a decade. Five years ago the team was located in Fishersville and known as the Rangers before moving to its current home in Draft. In 2001 Fishersville won the league championship. The Bucks first season was in 1954.

“We got so close we could taste it,” Kiser said. “It was a disappointing afternoon [Thursday]. This will be an intense game.”

The first pitch in tonight’s game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.