The fireworks in Pebble Creek subdivision, which is located behind Mechanicsville Little League Park, started going off about midway through the 15-16 year olds’ Senior Division District V championship game on Friday night. However, it wasn’t until the top of the seventh that the Mechanicville Seniors blew things up to repeat as district winners with a 12-3 decision over Atlee.

  However, until they came to bat in the top of the seventh, Mechanicsville held a precarious 6-3 lead and had survived several threats from Atlee. “That (final) score doesn’t represent the game right there,” said Mechanicsville manager Steve Townsend. “I was scared.”

  The game featured an outstanding showcase of talent on both teams and solid pitching from starters Hank Parsley and Brent West.

  Parsley turned in a yeoman performance for the winners and knew he had his work cut out for him while holding Atlee to three runs and shutting down several scoring threats. “I knew they were a good hitting team,” he said. “Every one of those kids plays on a high school team. I knew they’d be a good hitting bunch…I’m not a strikeout pitcher so I’ve got to let them hit the ball. Later in the game I started getting tired. They started hitting me around a little bit. But Mitch (Keeler) behind the plate helping me out, calling a pretty good game, held them down.”

  The contest was one of Mechanicsville’s depth and experience versus the competitive spirit of the short-handed Atlee squad. Due to rain delays and scheduled family vacations, Atlee only had 10 players in their dugout. “Honestly, I almost didn’t think we were going to have a team tonight,” Atlee manager Bobby Bailey said. “These kids gave me everything they had all week. Their parents gave up a lot. I had people that were supposed to be in New Jersey today, they stayed. People came back from Virginia Beach to play. So I want to particularly thank the parents for giving up their week to do this.”

  Atlee reached the championship game after losing their opener against Tuckahoe American then battling their way through the loser’s bracket. Bailey said there was little doubt who his team would play if they made it to the championship game. “We knew who we were going to face,” he said. As expected, Mechanicsville blazed their way directly to the title contest.

  Likewise, Townsend knew Atlee would give his team a battle for the title. “They’ve always had a good team,” he said. “I’ve seen most of them play for years so I knew it was going to be a good game.” 

  Even though he did not win the game, West turned in an MVP-like performance from the mound for Atlee and probably set a record for being hit in a greater variety of ways than any player before him.

  Mechanicsville’s Brandon Angus led off the game by blistering a line-drive directly into West’s lower left leg. After a few shaky moments, West climbed to his feet and played on.

  In an attempt to score the bottom of the third, West was involved in a solid collision at the plate with Mechanicsville catcher Mitch Keeler.

  Then in the top of the fourth West was hit again. When Mechanicsville’s Kevin Reed made an attempt to steal second, Atlee catcher Travis Tyree popped to his feet to make a throw to the bag. Instead of reaching the second baseman’s glove, the ball nailed West in his right shoulder. “I’ve never been hit by my own catcher throwing down before,” West said. “That was different.”

  Finally in the bottom of the seventh, while at bat West was plunked in the helmet by a hard throw from Mechanicsville reliever Daniel Burroughs.

  Ironically, Parsley said West joked about getting hit prior to the game. “He comes up before the game, and was like, I might give you some chin music tonight, I was like well I ain’t going to do that to you,” Parsley said. “He got enough of it.

  I feel bad for the kid,” Parsley added. “I got hit 16 times in one little league season but I’ve never been hit that many times in one game.”

  Yet after each hit, West got back up and kept on playing. “I tell you what,” Bailey said. “That’s my MVP for the game. He plays 110 percent. He’s got a heart as big as a baseball and he gives us everything he has every time he comes on the field.”

  Ironically, the play of the game was one that didn’t even count. After reaching base from his hit off West’s leg, Angus made an attempt to steal second but got caught in a rundown. As Atlee second baseman David Billups ran Angus back toward the bag, first baseman Jacob Hurd caught the ball and turned Angus back towards second. As Hurd swept in, Angus dropped to the dirt, pivoted under Hurd’s tag and safely returned to first. However, Angus was awarded second when the officials determined that West baulked before the play ensued.

  Angus (4 for 5, 4 RBI, 3 runs) went on to score the first run of the game when he drew a rundown between third and home and the ball was bobbled.

  Mechanicsville widened the margin to 3-0 in the top of the second when Matt Maxey singled to left, Reed sent a shot over third and Caleb Bradberry reached to load the bags. A double to left by Angus then drove in Maxey and Reed.

  Atlee got on the board in the bottom of the inning when Greg Hess beat out a throw to first then took second on a bad throw for a pick-off. A single from Blake Underwood moved Hess to third and he scored when Hurd singled past third.

  In the bottom of the third, Atlee moved within one. With two out, Tyree doubled to right and was replaced on base by pinch runner Andrew Stark. A double to left center by West then drove Stark home to trim the margin to 3-2.

  With one out in the top of the fourth, West was replaced on the mound by Hess after giving up a single to Reed, being hit in the shoulder and watching Angus turn a single shot up the middle into a two-bagger.

  But Mechanicsville’s Logan Heckman took the first pitch from Hess and sent it to the wall for a triple that drove in Reed and Angus for a 5-2 lead.  Heckman later scored to push the margin to 6-2.

  West added a run for Atlee on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fifth after reaching base on a triple-shot to right.

  Atlee was still within range until a demoralizing onslaught from the Mechanicsville bats in the top of the seventh.

  After Maxey was walked to lead things off, Burroughs sent a shot to deep left. When Drew Townsend was hit by a pitch it loaded the bases. A single past short from Angus drove in Maxey and Burroughs and when Heckman reached on a pass ball, Townsend scored for a 9-3 lead.

  With Hurd coming to the mound for Atlee, the Mechanicsville attack continued. A double to the centerfield wall by Keeler drove in Heckman and Angus and then Keeler scored the final run of the game on a wild pitch.

  Any thought of an Atlee comeback was nullified when Burroughs game to the mound for Mechanicsville in the bottom of the sixth. After giving up an initial walk to Stark, Burroughs was nothing short of brilliant striking out three of the next six batters he faced.

  “He looked real sharp today, which is good,” Townsend said. “Going into states we’re going to need his arm.”

  And Townsend said depth of pitching was the one element his team lacked last year when the finished fourth in the state. “That’s why we kept 14 on the team this year, for the pitching because we were down to nothing by the time we got to that sixth game last year,” he said. “It’s going to take good pitching and scoring a lot of runs because those kids in that state league hit the ball.” 

  The Mechanicsville Seniors will travel to Pound VA. for the state championship July 16.

Mechanicsville…120 300 6—12 15 0
Atlee ...................011 010 0— 3 10 0
Parsley, Burroughs (6) and Keeler; West, Hess (4), Hurd (7) and Tyree. W: Parsley. L: West.
Highlight: Brandon Angus (M) 4 for 5, 4 RBI, 3 runs