Pioneers’ Pitching Turns Back Scrappy Colonels

Posted: May 24, 2016
By ROBERT STOCKS
The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — James Wood sent 26 batters to the plate in the Conference 21 West tournament semifinal baseball game against Millbrook, and Pioneers pitchers Trey Braithwaite and Ryan Kennedy struck out half of them.

Braithwaite and Kennedy combined to limit James Wood to just two hits and struck out 13 to lead the Pioneers to a 2-1 victory on Monday night.

With the victory, the Pioneers (16-2) host No. 2 Woodgrove, a 4-2 winner over third-seeded Sherando in Monday’s other semifinal, today at 6 p.m. in the conference championship game.

“Trey dominated the [strike] zone early, and it’s a shame we couldn’t put up more runs for them,” Millbrook coach Brian Burke said. “What Ryan Kennedy did tonight was just amazing. He transferred from a program [North Stafford] where he was put in big situations and he stepped up.”

Kennedy inherited a 1-0 lead when he took over in relief of Braithwaite in the top of the fourth inning.

The Colonels loaded the bases after an infield single by Ben Russo to start the inning followed by bunts by Eli Warren and Brady Renner. Kennedy’s throw to first pulled Josh Sherman off the bag, allowing Warren to reach on an error, and Kennedy never got a handle on Renner’s bunt.

With the bases loaded and no outs, Russo scored after Colby Monroe hit a slow grounder and Pioneers shortstop Alex Amos got a force out at second.

With one out and runners on first and third, Kennedy struck out Cody Polk and Samuel Ellingsworth to end the inning.

“We had bases loaded an no outs and we didn’t score [more] runs,” James Wood coach Brent Lockhart said. “Anytime you’ve got a runner on third and you’re at the plate, you’ve got to do your job and get that run in. That’s what it came down to.”

Millbrook never trailed, but James Wood (8-13) kept it close throughout behind starting pitcher Brady Renner and reliever Cameron Gross.

Millbrook junior Gavin West doubled down the left-field line to start the bottom of the fourth. After Nate Jaye reached on a bunt, West scored after Kyle Keenan’s sacrifice fly to right to put the Pioneers ahead 2-1.

West said the team just couldn’t get the timely hits to drive in more runs. “We never get down and we’re always up tempo,” said West, who went 2 for 3 with two runs scored. “Sometimes we just don’t string too many hits together in situations that we need to, but I feel like we’ve just got to come out with more energy and hit the ball better in situations.”

Fortunately for the Pioneers, Braithwaite and Kennedy made sure a couple runs were all that they needed.

Braithwaite allowed a single to Colonels’ No. 2 hitter Joel Smith in the first inning, but that was it. He struck out six straight from the end of the first until Smith popped out to second baseman Trenton Burgreen to end the third.

And after Kennedy allowed the run in the fourth, he retired nine straight over the final three innings to get the victory. He struck out seven, including two in each of the sixth and seventh innings.

After pinch-hitter Cameron Eback grounded out to first to start the seventh, Kennedy caught both Ellingsworth and Ethan Lieberman looking at called third strikes on breaking balls to end it.

“The key was getting ahead and throwing strikes early,” said Kennedy, who improved his record to 2-1. “When we did that we either saw a lot of groundouts or flyouts.

“They told me I was first in relief. When I came in, I wanted to make sure I did the same thing as Trey and kept them off balance and kept them off the bases. My breaking ball was working really well, and my fastball had some movement on it. I was just trying to hit my spots and keep them off balance.”

Millbrook’s first run came after West singled to start the second inning. With two outs, Ryan Houchens ripped a double down the third-base line off Renner, allowing West to score.

Renner took the loss, allowing two runs on seven hits through three innings. Gross retired the Pioneers in order in both the fifth and sixth innings to keep James Wood in it.

“It was up for grabs,” Gross said. “Millbrook’s a really good team, but I think we hung with them and played good against them. We had an early chance and couldn’t get that run in in the first inning, but we fought hard and gave ourselves a great chance to win.”

Lockhart said his team just couldn’t get enough quality at-bats against Braithwaite and Kennedy.

“We played really good, but we didn’t play great and to beat a really good team like that you’ve got to play perfect baseball,” he said. “They had [13] strikeouts — hats off to them, but that’s a terrible job on our part with too many strikeouts. Overall, we played good, but we didn’t play great.”

The Pioneers now face second-seeded Woodgrove in today’s conference championship game. Millbrook swept Woodgrove during the regular season, winning both games 2-1.

“It’s a great opportunity,” West said of hosting today’s championship game. “We all worked hard in the offseason, and personally, I think we deserve it. We have some great players and our pitching staff has been fantastic. It’s really based around [our pitching].”

“It’s exciting to host a conference championship game,” added Kennedy. “I’m definitely looking forward to it.”

Both Millbrook and Woodgrove advance to the 4A West Region Tournament regardless of tonight’s outcome.

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