Except for when Monticello baseball’s assistant coach Pete O’Malley used a leaf blower to try to fix a field dragging error on the third base line on a breezy night after the game was over, everything went right for Monticello’s baseball team Thursday night against Albemarle in a cross-county Jefferson District rivalry clash.
“Anytime you can have a night like that in this league is phenomenal,” said Monticello coach Corey Hunt. “From top to bottom there’s competition every night.”
The Mustangs rolled to a 10-0 victory over the Patriots in five innings, taking a 3-0 lead in the first inning before blowing the game open with a six-run third inning.
Monticello pitcher Jake Byrnes scattered six hits and surrendered four walks in the shutout win.
“He threw well, all of our pitchers are contact guys, we’re always going to rely on the guys behind us and we’re good enough to make the plays,” Hunt said. “That’s what’s going to keep us in ballgames.”
The Mustangs’ Tyler Walker went 3-for-4 and scored a pair of runs.
Monticello picked up six free passes in the first inning, but really went to work in the third. Will Pistulka, Parker Davis, and Tyler Carter each had RBI singles in the frame.
For the Patriots, Nathan Toney, Ian Haney, Alex Petroka, Evan Mitchell, Andrew Porter and Scott Reid each had hits.
The Patriots will look to bounce back Friday against Fluvanna County on the road while hosts Douglas Freeman the same night.
