By Betsy Haugh / Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor
A week after capturing their third-straight District 13 title, Albemarle Post 74 is set to report to the American Legion State Tournament today at Liberty University in Lynchburg. Hoping the third time will be the charm.
Post 74 will rely on a pitching staff considered by its coaching staff to be the best in recent years, strong leadership from veterans making their third trip to the tournament, and explosive offense that has been triggered by the 1-2 combination of Jordan Gentry and Joey Varaksa to make a run at the title. That leaves this team looking to improve on prior experiences.
“We’ve finished second twice, and we’ve finished third once, and we’ve finished fourth once. It’s our turn to go down and try to win it. We have the talent,” said Post 74 coach Mike Maynard.
Post 74’s best finish at the state tournament came in 2009 when they fell to South Richmond Post 137 in the championship game, but with one of its most recent solid pitching staffs in terms of both starters and relievers, the team believes they are more than capable of reaching the championship game once again.
“I think we’re better this year than we’ve been for the past few years. We’re loaded in every spot pretty much. I think we’re more talented, we have more pitchers – it’s just a good combination,” said veteran third-baseman Danny Morris.
Maynard added that the pitching has seen the biggest improvements from past years, and the rotation is stronger than ever.
“We’ve never had three quality starters like we have now (in Dillon Via, Chris Madison and David Spinosa),” Maynard said. “I think we have a chance (to win the tournament). Obviously every team there is really, really good, so things are going to have to go our way, and obviously we’re going have to have some good starts (from our pitchers).”
The pitching staff is also home to some of the team’s most experienced players. Spinosa and Sean Rutherford have experience pitching in big games, as both hurlers propelled their teams to victories in the VISAA Division 1 and Division 2 state championship games, respectively. Spinosa threw a complete game allowing only two runs, as St. Anne’s Belfield defeated Paul VI 3-2 in an eight inning, extra inning performance; Rutherford led Covenant to a 3-0 victory over Christchurch, pitching a three-hit shutout.
“(We need to) keep doing the same stuff. Just keep hitting the ball hard, throwing strikes and letting our defense make plays,” Spinosa said.
Spinosa is coming off a one-hit performance in 7 2/3 innings against Spotsylvania Post 320 in the District Championship game last Monday.
Other experienced players on the team come in the form of 19-year-olds such as Morris, who will wrap up his American Legion playing days at the state tournament.
“We’ve got to be mentally prepared to actually go down and win it this time. We’ve choked a couple times; we can’t do that this time,” Morris said. “I’ve got to be a leader; all the 19 year olds, we’ve got to be leaders to win the state tournament.”
With the pitching staff secure and the veterans in the right mind-set, Maynard feels the ability to get lead-off hitters on base could make or break Post 74.
“Jordan Gentry and Joey Varaksa getting on base like they’ve been getting on base all year – that is huge. Those two guys are so fast you have to throw fastballs,” Maynard said. “I think the difference will be how those guys do with their on-base percentages. Not to put pressure on the two of them, but if they keep getting on base like they have been all year, I think that’ll help make for a great run for us.”
Maynard added that with the whole team available and present at the state tournament, Eli Haden will drop back into his familiar role as the number nine hitter because, with his speed and ability to reach base, “it’s like having another lead-off hitter.”
Post 74 is expected to get another big boost with the return of Kevin White. The Michigan-commit will arrive at the state tournament fresh off summer-league commitments to his future university. White was responsible for a late go-ahead grand slam that propelled STAB to the championship game in may, and also the leadoff triple in extra innings that allowed him to score the game winning run to give his school the title.
While White may not have had the luxury of enjoying a few days off, his teammates were given a short rest following the completion of the district tournament. After three days without organized team activities, Post 74 returned to the practice field Friday night in preparation for the state tournament.
“We had a really good practice,” Maynard said. “Everyone was focused. We only went for about an hour twenty five, an hour thirty minutes cause it was so daggone hot, but we hit on the field, and we actually had a very good practice, so I hope that’s a sign of the way we might play in Lynchburg.”
With a team that is full of talent at every position and has proven an ability to win, baseball fans in Charlottesville are eager to see whether or not this is the team to finally shake the monkey off their back and hoist that state tournament trophy.
The team will have their first chance to make a statement about their ability to win the state tournament when they open play Tuesday at 1pm against Roanoke Post 3.
“They’re very good,” Maynard said. “We’re going to have our hands full.”
