Judges squeeze past Colonels

WINCHESTER — When Handley pitcher Nolan Potts entered the game in relief against James Wood Tuesday night, the Judges were staring at a three-run deficit in the third inning.

The junior right hander stopped the bleeding — and worked through a bloody nose in the fourth inning — limiting the Colonels to just one run over the final five innings.

The Judges did all the little things, from executing a pair of squeeze bunts to making diving catches in the outfield, and all that added up to a 6-5 Northwestern District victory over Wood at R. Charles Hott Field. “We focus on fundamentals and small ball — it’s something that we’ve preached all year,” Handley coach Eddie Simmons said. “We’ve gotten better at it through the season, and they’re starting now to execute extremely well.”

With the victory, the Judges (6-10, 4-1 Northwestern) kept pace with Sherando (also 4-1) atop the district standings.

Handley rallied to score three runs off James Wood starter Matt Copley to tie the game 5-5 in the sixth.

Cory Crenshaw’s RBI double to left-center scored Jacob Rudolph (who reached on a fielder’s choice) to cut the Colonels’ lead to 5-3.

Crenshaw (2 for 4 with a double) stole third, and Colonels catcher Cody Vorous’ throw sailed into left field, allowing Crenshaw to score.

Handley’s Ryan Hayes reached on a passed ball third strike, and pinch hitter Mason Gray lined a single into left to put runners on the corners with one out.

The Judges pulled even on an incredibly executed suicide squeeze bunt by leadoff hitter Aubrey Wilkerson. Copley’s pitch was high, but with Hayes breaking for the plate Wilkerson reached above his shoulders to send the ball down the first-base line, allowing Hayes to score.

“The squeeze play was on and we work on that all the time in practice, so I knew I had to do the job and get the bunt down,” said Wilkerson who went 2 for 4 with a triple and scored a run. “He kind of threw it right at my head and I was just like, ‘Do the job,’ so it ended up working out. It actually hit my finger and it fell in play, so it worked out.”

Wilkerson made a diving catch in center to rob James Wood leadoff hitter Andrew Burnett for the second out in the bottom of the sixth. Potts retired the Colonels in order to end the inning.

From there, Handley’s Cody Unger walked to start the seventh to end Copley’s night. Unger advanced to second on a wild pitch by Colonels reliever Niko Bobadilla.

Cody Crenshaw followed with a bunt, and Unger scored the go-ahead run after Bobadilla’s errant throw to first went down the right-field line.

James Wood (2-14, 1-4) had a chance to even the score in the bottom of the seventh.

With one out, Brock Lockhart crushed a Potts’ fastball off the wall in left-center — just missing a home run by about two feet — for a stand-up double.

Lockhart advanced to third on a sacrifice fly by Copley, and Potts walked Daniel Garber to put runners on the corners with two outs.

Simmons came out and talked to Potts briefly but left him on the mound.

On an 0-2 count, A.J. Eubank lifted a fly ball into right, but Cory Crenshaw came running in for a diving catch to end the game.

Simmons said Potts (2-1) — who typically gets called on as the first reliever when the Judges have two games during the week — did a nice job in relief of starter Will McHugh.

“He was starting to get tired at the end, but he wanted to stay in the ball game,” Simmons said. “He gave us a chance tonight, and we’re very proud of him.”

Potts scattered five hits over the final five innings, and he credited his teammates for making plays to support him.

“We were down three, and I just wanted to come in and throw strikes and give our defense a chance and make some plays for us,” Potts said. “Aubrey and Cory out in the outfield there pretty much saved me in the last couple innings.”

The loss was the second one-run defeat for the Colonels in as many nights. James Wood lost to Hedgesville (W.Va.) 9-8 after a bases loaded walk with two outs in the bottom of the seventh on Monday.

“All I can say is hats off to Handley. They didn’t quit and played the full seven. They executed and squeezed twice,” James Wood coach Jared Mounts said. “... Good teams help themselves to make their own breaks. We’ve got to start making our own opportunities. Good teams don’t beat themselves by making errors.”

The Colonels made three errors against the Judges, including a pair in the final two innings that allowed Handley to score the tying and go-ahead runs.

Two of the Judges’ six runs came on squeeze plays, and Simmons said he knew runs would likely be scarce against Copley, who struck out five and allowed eight hits.

“In a close game against one of the best pitchers we’ve seen all year, you have to make sure you score when you have a chance,” Simmons said. “That’s why we had to bunt to make sure we found a way to get one run. With a guy on the mound as strong as [Copley] was, you might not get chances later.”

Vorous went 3 for 4 and drove in a run, and Bobadilla went 2 for 4 and scored a run to lead the Colonels.

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