WINCHESTER — Following a modest two-game losing streak during the last week of March, the James Wood High School baseball team seems to have turned things around and are putting up some football-scoring numbers.
On Tuesday evening, the Colonels scored 20 runs in the first two innings and coasted to a 20-0 Class 4 Northwestern District victory over rival Handley at R. Charles Hott Field at James Wood High School. The game was called after five innings because of the run rule, with the Colonels allowing no walks and one hit.
For Wood (6-2, 2-1 district), it was its fourth straight win, two of which were shutouts of 23-0 and 20-0.
For Handley (2-5, 0-3) on the other hand, it was its fourth straight setback after a 2-1 start to the season.
“We were fortunate,” Wood coach Adrian Pullen said. “We got some barrels tonight and jumped out to a quick start. That changes the complexion of things. Offensively, we executed what we’ve been working on.
“We’ve been playing well. Every day is a different day. Just keep working. We’re happy with where we’re at. We break it up into three seasons, the first ten, the second ten and postseason. We’re 6-2 and have two games left in the first season. With the youth that we have I like where we’re at.”
With the offense piling up runs, a pair of Colonels seniors were able to shut the Handley offense down. Brock Whipkey and Fletcher Powell faced the minimum 15 hitters in five innings, as the only hit allowed was thrown out at second trying to take an extra base.
Every starter for the Colonels had at least one hit and scored twice. Wood had 18 hits. James Wood batted around in each of the first two innings, with every starter scoring twice.
In the first inning, Handley retired the first hitter in the bottom of the first before the next nine hitters all reached base. Logan Bower and Kaden McCullough each had two-run singles and Owen Neal had a three-run double. The Colonels scored nine runs in the first on six hits, and they were helped along with three walks, a hit batter and an error.
Handley got its only baserunner in the top of the second. With one out, Eli Shelton lined a single to right, but Shelton was immediately cut down at second trying to stretch it to a double.
Whipkey retired the next four hitters he faced and Powell retired all six he faced in his two innings or work.
The Colonels offense went right back to work in the second. Ten hitters went to the plate before the Judges were able to record an out, and that came on an RBI sacrifice fly off the bat of Parker Kerns.
McCullough collected two more hits and two RBIs in the second. Zach Woskobunik had two RBI doubles and Tyler Prusik had a two-run double. Owen Neal, Cole Ritter and Whipkey each had run-scoring singles. Wood scored 11 more runs in the second on 11 hits.
McCullough, hitting in the nine hole, was one of three Colonels with three hits. He also scored three times and drove in four. Woskobunik and Neal also had three hits and scored twice. Woskobunik had three RBIs and Neal four.
Colin Thomas, Logan Bower, and Prusik each had two hits and scored twice. Bower and Prusik also drove in two each.
Handley coach Patrick Wingfield said it was good to see the Judges force the Colonels to swing their bats.
“This game wasn’t the same as our game last week [against Sherando],” Wingfield said. “We weren’t walking them and giving them free bases for the most part. We had a couple of plays we didn’t make in the field, but honestly, they just earned it. They were hitting the ball all over the park.”
Wingfield said the Judges are improving, even if Tuesday’s score didn’t show it.
“Individuals are getting much better at the plate,” Wingfield said. “We don’t have a lot of room for error on the mound. We’ll get better at the details in the next couple of weeks. If our guys continue to work the way they are, these games will be a distant memory by the end of the season.”
Both teams are back in action on Thursday. Handley returns home to face Skyline and Wood hosts Millbrook in a big Class 4 Northwestern District game.