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Orange clamps down on Monticello

With Derek Justice mowing through batters, and Tres Winkler and the offense driving in runs at a steady rate, Orange County was able to jump on Monticello early. And though the Mustangs would threaten in the sixth inning, there was no come from behind rally like last week to rain on the Hornets’ parade. After working through the late jam, Orange got back to business and sealed up the win, 11-3.

“When we get hits in clumps like that – when multiple guys are reaching base and with guys that we have that can run the bases – we can make things happen,” said Hornets coach Jessie Lohr. “We just have to not beat ourselves. That’s what happened against Goochland, and in this ball game there were times where we were doing things that can make the wheels come off. But senior leadership on the mound and in the defense came through and closed the door.”

For the first five innings, Justice allowed only three base runners on a pair of walks and one hit. As such, the future UVa player managed to retire 14 of the first 17 batters he faced, six of which were on strikeouts.

“He was throwing pretty firm and he was hitting the zone,” said Monticello coach Neil Schaffner of his team’s night against Justice. “He was mixing up the speeds too and that was giving us a really hard time.”

Conversely, Orange had no trouble seeing the ball throughout the contest. After Tyler Moneymaker sat down the first four batters he faced, Orange got work in the bottom of the second with David Dulin driving in a run on a sacrifice and Zak Reininger bring home another runner on a double with two outs.

In the third inning, the heart of the order started chipping in. After Winkler picked up a deep single to drive in two runs, Justice was able to steal home and Dulin knocked in another run on to give Orange a 6-run lead. Hutchinson, Winkler and Austin Roberts would extend the gap by three more runs in the bottom of the fourth after the Mustangs made an error on pick off throw couldn’t finish a rundown at third base.

“The two throwing errors, the pickoff play and then the rundown, that really deflated us,” Schaffner said. “That’s where our guys need to understand that all they need to do is just knuckle down, to throw quality pitches to make defensive plays.”

But unable to pick up their tenth run to force a win by slaughter rule, the Hornets watched as Monticello’s offense finally came to life.

Picking up three of their total four totals hits in the bottom of the sixth, the Mustangs trimmed the deficit to six on an RBI single from Joshua Shifflett and a 2-run double from Garrett Mullaney.

But Orange tacked on two runs in the bottom half of the inning and then Nolan Moore would relieve Justice in the seven and wrap up the win.

Winkler finished the game 3 for 4 at the plate and drove in four runs, and had a pair of runs scored and stolen bases to lead the way offensively. Roberts went 2 for 4 with two RBIs as did Dulin.

“Our coaches have been working with me a lot and I definitely have my confidence up right now,” Winkler said. “I just hit the ball really well tonight and did what I could.”

For Monticello, Brandon Ladd and Thomas Estepp were the only players two reach base more than once and they both went 1 for 2 with a double and a walk. Mullaney finished the game 1 for 3 with two RBIs.

The Mustangs (4-4, 1-2 Jefferson) get a quick break before they host Goochland on Tuesday at 6 p.m.

The Hornets (5-1, 2-1) travel to Chancellor today at 7 p.m before hosting Courtland on Friday also at 7 p.m.

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