By Logan Riddick / Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor
Despite an hour and 45-minute late start and a mid-game lightning delay, neither weather nor Central-Woodstock’s bats could rattle William Monroe ace Dustin Knight.
“He’s first team all-district for a reason,” said Monroe coach Mike Maynard of his junior southpaw, who went the distance allowing just four hits and one walk while striking out seven. “He can throw three pitches at any time for strikes. He had them way off balance and our defense was great tonight. His velocity was great, and his change-up was devastating diving away from those right-handed hitters.”
The Dragons advanced to the 3A East Conference 29 final with a 5-0 win over the Falcons on Wednesday night in Stanardsville.
In the top of the first, Central mounted what ended up being its most significant offensive threat, as back-to-back two out singles put runners on the corners. Knight then got the number five batter to pop out in foul territory wide of third, and the Falcons failed to advance a base runner beyond first again.
In the bottom of the second, Monroe got on the board with some small ball. Sophomore Cody Spencer led off with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Sophomore Tobey Collier singled to right to put runners on the corners with one out. Tyler Trevillian’s bunt induced a throw to second, allowing Spencer to score.
The Dragons added more in the third after Jeff Early drew a two-out walk. Dylan Shifflett followed with a deep fly to left that caromed off the outfielder’s glove, allowing Early to score. Spencer then singled to left to drive in Shifflett from second. After Knight and the defense breezed through the top of the fourth, Monroe held a 3-0 lead when lightning cleared the field.
“To be honest, I was just hoping Coach Maynard would let me keep going,” said Knight. “I settled down [after the first] and thought I was doing better, and he let me keep going. [Coming back out], I just tried to put it in play and let my defense work.”
Fortunately, the storm skirted the area, and play resumed after 32 minutes. Both starting pitchers returned and retired the sides in order until Monroe’s turn in the bottom of the fifth. Trey Lam drew a leadoff walk, advanced on a sac bunt, and scored on Early’s single to center. Early advanced to second on the throw toward the plate, stole third, and then tallied the Dragons’ fifth run on Shifflett’s RBI single to left.
“We had some really good at-bats from some of our younger players,” Maynard said. “Jeff Early’s line drive to get that fourth run was huge.”
Still going strong on the mound, Knight allowed just a two-out walk in the sixth and a two-out single in the seventh, and flashed an emphatic fist pump as the last batter popped out behind the plate.
For Central, junior Cody Sager threw six innings giving up seven hits and two walks, and striking out five.
Monroe will hit the road for Friday night’s Conference final at Loudoun Valley.
