All year, unearned runs have been Albemarle’s baseball team’s Achilles’ heel.
It bit them again Friday night on the road in the Commonwealth District quarterfinals as the No. 8 seed Patriots fell 4-3 to No. 1 North Stafford.
Sean Kennedy threw six solid innings for the Indians, striking out eight in the process, but Albemarle managed to scratch out some runs against the North Stafford pitcher. Jay Schwab went 2 for 3 with a pair of RBIs, and he wasn’t the only player to make an offensive impact, with Rashad Talley, Josh Sites and Mitchell Smith all posting 1 for 3 nights.
But when the Patriots needed to scratch together a run, they faltered against Sean Connaughton, the Indians’ closer, who struck out two Albemarle batters, stranding the tying run on second base.
Jason White threw a complete game and surrendered just six hits while striking out two, but Albemarle surrendered several unearned runs that cost them the contest.
The loss ends Albemarle’s season.
