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Devils’ anger punishes Broncos

Clay vs. Ridgeview - April 12-13 for district top seed

By Ray DiMonda
Posted 4/11/18

MIDDLEBURG - Clay High, in their rain make up game against 7A-Middleburg on Thursday, was looking to rebound from a dismal 3-1 win over Pedro Menendez the day after a 13-0 rout of the same Menendez …

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Devils’ anger punishes Broncos

Clay vs. Ridgeview - April 12-13 for district top seed


Posted

MIDDLEBURG - Clay High, in their rain make up game against 7A-Middleburg on Thursday, was looking to rebound from a dismal 3-1 win over Pedro Menendez the day after a 13-0 rout of the same Menendez team in a two game district 4-6A series. Blue Devil coach Josh Persinger was looking for an inkling of inspiration that the 3-1 win was just lethargic play.

Persinger got strong plate play from catcher Chase Holman on defense after the Blue Devils threw five runs on the board in the first inning en route to a 9-0 lead on Middleburg by the sixth inning with a final 9-1 score.

“Chase is the epitome of what we want in a catcher” said Clay Head Coach Josh Persinger. “Those are the bang-bang, non-routine plays we are starting to make.” Unlike the night prior, Clay kept the throttle wide open all night to amass a 9-0 lead through six innings. The Broncos brought one runner around to keep from being shut out in a 9-1 stinger that showed the Broncos where they need to do some damage control if they want to move on in post-season play later this year.

Clay wasted no time as Kevin Jackson got things rolling with a left field line drive single. Dylan Faulkner took the first pitch to the middle of his back to get onto first base the painful way. With runners on first and second, and a Tyler Spence fly out, Josh Lemen put a fly ball into the right field gap for an RBI single that brought Jackson around from second. Faulkner stood on third and the Devils were on the board quick. Connor Solomon put the ball to deep center field to sacrifice so Faulkner could get home from third. After going half way, Lemen returned to first and Clay was up 2-0. Chase Holman watched four pitches come by from Seth Loyd, then walked his way to first base. Collin Gross came in to run for Holman so he could put his catching gear back on. Next up was Andy Yarbrough who took the third pitch from Loyd and kept the ball low with a line drive to center field. With the bases loaded, Zack Morris drilled a deep center 3 RBI double that scored Lemon, Gross, and Yarbrough. With Clay up 5-0 as the game just began, the Broncos knew they were in trouble.

“As a make up game, this one was not where I would put it when I’m setting up the schedule,” said Persinger. “It’s like the day you don’t want to go to the gym. You just get there and sometimes you have your best workout. I liken this game to that. We have to focus. Finish the game 1 through 7, finish the drill is what we say a lot. Tonight, we did that.”

Clay and district 4-6A rival Ridgeview sit as the top two teams in the district and their two-game series is Thursday and Friday; winner take all.