Logan Forloines is one of the youngest players on the Albemarle Post 74 roster. And having just finished his sophomore year at William Monroe, when he’s in the game he’s playing a critical role for the team as a catcher.
On Tuesday night against Orange Post 156 in a back and forth game that featured timely offense and some amazing defense, Forloines played well beyond his age. He picked off base runners and gave his team the lead with two outs in the eighth inning on a 2-run double as Albemarle rallied to an 8-5 victory.
“Orange is a heck of a team and I thought both teams played well,” said Albemarle coach Mike Maynard. “Both teams could have come away with that win, we just made some clutch plays in the end. I was proud of the guys for never giving up.”
The lead changed hands three times during the contest, and in the early going, it was Orange that was out in front as Derek Justice started the game with a leadoff double before Travis Funk drove him in on a single. Funk then also crossed the plate after a stolen base and a pair of ground outs.
Trailing by two, Albemarle put its first run on the board in the bottom of the second when Danny Morris belted a pitch over the fence in left-centerfield for a solo homerun.
Defenses settled in from that point. While Joey Varaksa was a rock at shortstop scooping up hard hit grounders, Forloines was able to throw out a runner at third with no outs in the third and then another runner at second with one out in the fourth.
The Orange defense returned the favor. After Albemarle loaded the bases in the top of the fifth with one out and Vince Coles brought home a run on a fielder’s choice, Funk and catcher Lazero Torres ended the inning when they nabbed Coles going to second and then Eli Haden trying to take home from third.
In the sixth, Albemarle broke the 2-2 tie when Thomas Stallings cranked a two-run homer, but the lead did not last long as Orange opened in the top of the sixth by loading the bases. Tres Winkler tied the game back up with a 2-run double, and in the very next at-bat, Jesse Getchel put Orange out in front on a RBI groundout.
Albemarle threatened in the seventh by putting runners on second and third with two outs. However, Orange’s defense again came up with a big play as Zach Rider flew in on a shallow fly hit by Morris and came away with a spectacular diving catch.
But that was the last time Orange’s defense bailed ths Hornets out. In the bottom of the eighth, Albemarle loaded the bases for Forloines. The catcher’s double was nearly an identically hit fly ball as Morris’ the inning early, and once again Rider came storming in and made a diving play, but this time the ball was simply too far away.
“It felt really good,” Forloines said of coming up with the big hit. “I had been struggling earlier. I was getting to far out in front. I wanted to sit back and wait for the fastball and that’s what happened.”
With Forloines giving his team the 2-run lead, Coles stepped up the plate in the next at bat and delivered a pair of neeeded insurance runs on a double to deep center. Morris took the mound in the ninth and brought the game to a close by retiring the side.
“I thought it was a good defensive battle,” said Orange coach Jessie Lohr. “We had things going our way and we went to our bull on the mound at the end (in Derek Justice). We had a chance to make a play there to end the inning and came up just a little short.”
For Albemarle, Haden was 2 for 3 with a pair of walks. Coles went 2 for 3 with three RBIs. Morris wound up 2 for 4. Jason White earned the victory on the mound while Morris picked up a save.
At the plate for Orange, Colston Bayless went 2 for 4 with a run scored. Winkler, Getchel and Nolan Smith were 1 for 3.
Orange (6-3) heads to Fluvanna Post 2003 at Louisa County High on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Albemarle (10-0) travels to Spotsylvania Post 50 on Saturday at 7 p.m.
