In their regional quarterfinal, Patrick Henry’s baseball team shellacked Thomas Dale for 13 runs.

In the regional semifinal at RF & P Park, against defending state champion James River, the Patriots got a taste of what it felt like to be on the opposite side of such a game, falling to the Rapids 11-1.

The Patriots were counting on having a difficult night at the plate with James River ace Austin Stadler on the mound, but such was not the case at the onset. Patrick Henry’s Ryan Smith sent a blazing liner down the third baseline that caromed off Gil Evans’ glove for a single.

Smith was then joined on base by Derrick Brewer who sent a single past second.

James River head coach Pete Schumacher was well aware that the Patriots posed a potent threat at the plate. “Every time we heard about them, every time we saw them, it was hitting, hitting, hitting, and those guys absolutely can,” he said.

Stadler got Kyle Stanley to pop up to short and struck out Taylor Seay but Patrick Henry’s Jordan Fox hopped a shot over shortstop Carter Brown to drive in Smith and put the Patriots up 1-0.
In the bottom of the inning, Patrick Henry followed up its good offensive start with pitcher Reid Berry limiting James River to a Eamor Schwartz single.

Stadler admitted that knowing how good Patrick Henry could hit made him tight coming into the game. “I was a little nervous today, I’m not going to lie,” he said. I knew that they could hit the ball.”
But in the top of the second, Stadler loosened up on the mound and took down the side and when James River came to the plate in the bottom of the inning it was obvious that the sleeping giant had awoke.

The Rapids’ Daniel Marrs picked up a double off the left field wall and when Robert Oldham bunted for a single Marrs moved to third.

Then Berry suffered a collapse on the mound and back to back balks sent Marrs and Oldham home to push James River ahead 2-1 without a swing of the bat.

When James River’s Ian Harvey singled to short, Patriots head coach Sam Hart pulled Berry in favor of Seay and James River pushed their advantage. On Seay’s first pitch, Harvey stole second. Seay then walked Sean Monaham to make the hole even deeper.

The Patriots’ pitcher got Brown to hit into a double play but it also allowed Harvey to score and push the lead to 3-1. The margin only got larger when Austin McGowen stepped to the plate and drilled a 340 foot homer over the right center wall for a 4-1 lead.

From there on the Rapids’ offense continued to roll.

“We’ve been struggling a little bit late in the season but today we kind of broke out and everybody started hitting the ball,” Stadler said.

Schumacher said the team is coming together at the right time. “They’re really trusting each other,” he said. “If you strike out the guy behind you is going to pick you up.”

Such could be said for the Rapids’ defense as well. Though Stalder continued to give up hits to the Patriot batters, Patrick Henry never crossed the plate. “I’m not like (Daniel) Marrs,” Stadler said. “I’m not going to throw a 98 mph fastball by anybody…I’ll get ground balls, sometimes they’ll go through. I’ve just got to hit my spots and trust my defense and they’re coming along and looking good.” 

A homer by Schwartz in the bottom of the fourth pushed James River ahead 5-1, then the Rapids added three more in both the fifth and sixth innings for their final tally. For the game, James River carded 14 hits.

The Rapids win sets up a regional championship rematch with Dominion District rival Cosby, who had defeated James River twice this season. Stadler is one Rapid who is looking forward to another shot at the Titans. “They’re a good team,” he said. “It’s a good battle and we like to play them.”

The two teams will meet at RF & P Park on Friday, May 30 at 7 p.m.

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