A first inning blast from the Lee-Davis bats was the undoing for Dinwiddie in the second day opener of the Spring Break Tournament. The host Confederates ran through their complete lineup and scored four runs in the bottom of the first, thanks to a two-homer from Andrew Hacker, then never looked back in a 9-3 win.

  After what seemed like weeks of winter weather, Lee-Davis finally got a game in under clear, sunny skies and warm temperatures. And with thermometer’s rise, it appeared the C-fed bats heated up as well. “If that’s the case maybe we’ve got a lot to look forward to,” said Lee-Davis head coach Kenny Lewis.

  Lee-Davis also got a strong performance on the mound from Jordan Boze who carded 12 strikeouts and pitched five scoreless innings, limiting the Generals to 19 batters coming to the plate. According to Lewis it was one of Boze’s better performances this season. “He was much better this outing as far as getting ahead of hitters,” Lewis said. “Throwing strikes, that was the key. It set up all his other pitches.”

  However in the sixth, Boze showed signs of tiring when he gave up three runs to Dinwiddie. “It may have been fatigue,” Lewis said. “I think he got up in the 90s and it’s the most he’s thrown.”

  After taking down the order in the top of the first, the C-feds came to the plate and got things rolling with one out and made it a long day for Dinwiddie pitcher Eric Warner.

  Brandon Angus started things off with a single to third then stole second. A single into the gap at short by Will Connerley allowed Angus to reach home.

  Next up, Hacker (3-for-4, HR, 2 RBI, double) drilled a shot over the fence in left center to push Connerley home for a 3-0 lead. 

  Boze followed and reached after blasting a shot through the glove of Generals’ second baseman Nick Christopher. Will Burton then reached on a single to center and Nick Frame, who was pinch running for Boze, made it safely to third.

  Christian ‘Bo-bo’ Pack (2-for-3, double, 2 RBI) then ripped a shot through the glove of Dinwiddie first baseman Richie Williams allowing Frame to score for a 4-0 lead.

  “That was a good start,” Lewis said. “We haven’t done that really until the fourth or fifth inning in many of our games. So it was good to get off to a good start.”

  Lee-Davis added to their tally in the bottom of the third.

  Boze led things off, awarded first after being hit in the leg by a pitch. Running for Boze, Frame stole second then third. Pack then sent a liner towards the mound and the throw to first went wide. Williams reached across the baseline for the ball causing Pack to collide with him.  As the ball slipped through, Pack hobbled on to second and Frame scored for a 5-0 Lee-Davis lead.

  Pack went on to steal third and was awarded home on a baulk by Warner to make the score 6-0.

  With two out and Billy Steel and Mortimer both on base from walks, Dinwiddie brought D. Bridgeman to the mound. Ang us took a pitch from Bridgeman to center that allowed Steel to score for a 7-0 lead but Mortimer got caught in a rundown heading home.

  Dinwiddie finally got on the board in the top of the sixth when a double up the middle from Chad Jones sent Dallas Fried home. Shots to right from Christopher and Travis Wamsley allowed Jones and Chris King to score trimming the C-fed lead to 7-3.

  Lee-Davis widened the margin to 9-3 in the bottom of the inning on runs from subs Hank Parsley and Matt McLane.

  Lewis was not surprised at the production from his subs. “We remind them there comes a time when their number’s going to get called and they need to be ready,” he said. “You don’t go in and play like a sub, you go in and play like a starter.”

  In the top of seventh, Burton came to the mound to close out the game. Burton started off strong with a strikeout of K. Russell but had bases loaded after hitting King in the helmet with a pitch. But Burton bounced back and got Christopher to fly out to right to end the game.

  In the nightcap, Lee-Davis fell to Matoaca 5-3, going 2-2 over in the Spring Break Tournament.

  Lewis said that four non-conference games played in two days gives him a chance to experiment with his line-ups. “We can find some surprises,” he said. “Who’s ready for prime time, maybe who’s not, maybe who needs more work. We’re able to experiment and do some things we wouldn’t normally do.”

  The games also gave Lewis a chance to evaluate his established line-up. “Obviously there’s room for improvement,” he said. “It’s not a perfect piece of art yet but we’re still working on it. But I do think potentially, if we can get the pitching like it was today, play clean in the field and offensively produce and use some of the speed that we have, then I think we’re a formidable opponent.” 
 
Dinwiddie ............... 000 003 0 — 3 5 4
Lee-Davis….............403 002 x — 9 12 2
Warner, Bridgeman (3) and Wamsley; Boze, Burton (7) and Connerley, Parsley. W: Boze. L: Warner
Highlights: Chad Jones (D) 1 for 4, double, RBI, run; Nick Christopher (D) 1 for 3, RBI, 3 stolen bases; Andrew Hacker (LD) 3 for 4, HR, double, 2 RBI; Jordan Boze (LD) 6 IP, 12 K’s; Bobo Pack (LD) 2 for 3, double, 2 RBI
Records: Dinwiddie 9-2; Lee-Davis 6-2

Matoaca ....................002 300 0 — 5 8 0
Lee-Davis…..............010 002 0 — 3 7 1
Conway, Kilbourne (6) and Houck; Hacker, Frame (4) and Connerley, Parsley. W: Conway. L: Hacker
Highlights: Austin Kilbourne (M) 2 for 4, 2 RBI; Michael Houthton (M) 2 for 4, double, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Will Burton (LD) 1 for 2, 2 RBI; Brandon Angus (LD) 2 for 3, RBI, stolen base
Records: Matoaca 8-2; Lee-Davis 6-3

Benedictine…..........201 101 0 — 5 7 3
Lee-Davis…............ 000 063 x — 9 10 3
Dodson, Joseph (5), Woods (5) and Dyer; Marshall, Frame (4) and Connerley. W: Frame. L: Joseph
Highlights: Mike Goldberg (B) 2 for 4, run; Chris Hogan (B) 1 for 3, double, 2 runs; Will Swoope (B) 1 for 2, RBI; Bobo Pack (LD) 3 for 4, double, 2 runs, stolen base; Billy Steel (LD) 2 for 3, triple, RBI; Will Connerley (LD) 2 for 3, 2 runs.
Records: Benedictine 6-2; Lee-Davis 5-1

St. Christopher’s…... 000 031 0 — 4 3 2
Lee-Davis….............. 010 100 0 — 2 3 4
Fleming and Freeman; Kluver, Angus (7) and Connerley, Parsley. W: Fleming L: Kluver
Highlights: Casey Fox (SC) 1 for 4, 3-run HR; Patrick Martin (SC) 1 for 3, run; Kurt Fleming (SC) complete game, 9 K’s; Bobo Pack (LD) 1 for 2, double, RBI; Billy Steel (LD) 1 for 2, RBI.
Records: St. Christopher’s 7-2; Lee-Davis 5-2