William Monroe is a team that’s played so well over the last two seasons that save situations are somewhat of a rarity. But with the way that Lamar Nelson and Jordan Gentry were pitching combined with the William Monroe defense making all the plays it needed to, there really wasn’t a lot to worry about. On the other side of the plate, Ryan Morris and Gentry gave the top-seeded Dragons all they needed as they advanced to the Region B Division 2 semifinals with a 2-0 win over Stuarts Draft.
“Lamar Nelson was outstanding,” Maynard said. “He saved us. Then Jordan came in and he threw great. I think we were a little nervous starting out but Ryan Morris got us ahead – he’s swinging a really hot bat right now and got us going.”
Nelson worked 4 and 2/3 shutout innings before giving way to Gentry who finished off the last 2 and 1/3. The pitching duo held the Cougars to just five base runners and only one of them reached second base. Nelson had six strikeouts while Gentry added four of his own.
Monroe got just two hits in the first three innings between a second inning single from Austin Batten and a third inning single from Gentry. The Dragons couldn’t push those base runners across the plate, but Morris made things simple in the fourth with a solo blast after starting out with an 0-2 count.
“I was leading off so I went up there thinking that I needed to spark something,” Morris said. “(Draft starter Tyler Drydge) set up with a curveball in the dirt and then came back with a fastball, but it had that lefty tail on it. He tried to back door a curveball in. I was waiting for that fastball again though and when it came I just put a swing on it.”
In the fifth Gentry led off with a double. After get moved over to third on a ground ball, the senior took home on an extremely close play on a passed ball. Despite netting just five hits on the night, the 2-0 lead proved to be more than enough.
“We didn’t quite execute as well as we could have, we had a few mistakes and missed some sacrifice bunt chances,” Maynard said. “But (Brydge) threw really well. I take my hat off to them because they played a great game.”
Monroe gets another home game and sits one win away from qualify for the Group A tournament. The Dragons will face Randolph Henry – the James River District runner up – on Wedenesday at 7 p.m.
“This feels just like it did last year,” Morris said. “I don’t think we feel any different about being in this situation. We just know we have come ready to play.”
