Monticello’s baseball team faced a tall task Thursday night in the Conference 29 title game, facing top-seeded Turner Ashby. The Mustangs were coming off an emotional win over Western Albemarle in the semifinals and their regional berth was already secured, so it would’ve been understandable if third-seeded Monticello had a bit of a hangover game against the Knights.
Clearly the Mustangs didn’t get that message — they were obviously dead-set on keeping the momentum going and battled to a 3-1 victory and a Conference 29 title.
John Page steadied the Mustangs on the mound, pitching into the seventh inning while striking out three, walking five and scattering five hits. He loaded the bases in the seventh with three walks, which prompted Monticello to turn to rarely-used pitcher Robbie Deane, a mainstay at second base.
Deane came up big, inducing a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning and secure the victory. Page also induced a critical inning-ending double play in the sixth, where he caught the ball off the bat and then nabbed the runner at third to end the frame.
At the plate, Monticello continued to show its aptitude for manufacturing runs, with Page scoring on an error in the first after reaching on a walk and being moved over by a Deane sacrifice. Kyle Jarrell scored the second run, reaching on a single and then advancing on a sacrifice, a groundout before Reid Huffman singled him home. Deane knocked in the third run, scoring Huffman with a single after he’d reached on a fielder’s choice.
Page surrendered the Knights’ lone run, but it came on a solo homer and that wasn’t until the sixth, with Monticello up 2-0 before East Carolina commit Brenan Hanifee’s shot to left field. Page was locked in a duel with Hanifee, who handled pitching for Turner Ashby and allowed three runs in his complete game effort while striking out four.
Monticello will start play in the Region 3A West tournament next week.
