WINCHESTER — Since starting the season 2-2, the James Wood High School baseball team had been on a very impressive roll heading into Wednesday night — winners of 10 straight, the Colonels had avenged both losses from earlier in the season to Sherando and Kettle Run.
But unlike during its winning streak, James Wood couldn’t pick up a clutch hit when it needed it and the streak came to an end with a tough 3-2 loss in eight innings to Fauquier at Wood’s R. Charles Hott Field.
Logan Bower started the game with five no-hit innings, but the Colonels (12-3) could only manage one second-inning run in that stretch against the Falcons (9-5). Trevor Mitchell’s RBI single in the eighth inning scored the winning run.
“We didn’t play well. We didn’t execute offensively. That’s pretty much the story of the game,” said James Wood coach Adrian Pullen, whose team scored both of its runs on wild pitches. “We’ve been winning games offensively but tonight the bats and the big inning didn’t show up.
“We had plenty of chances. We had some base-running mistakes that ran ourselves out of a couple innings. All year we’ve been getting that walk, a hit, an error or something like that, but tonight, it didn’t come through. It happens. It was bound to happen, and it was our turn to lose a close one tonight. But we’re not going to let one game define us.”
What started out as a pitcher’s duel between Bower and Fauquier lefty Tanner Gilmer turned into high-stress drama between the bullpens in the latter innings. Both starters left the game with the score tied 2-2 after six and a half innings, with each only giving up one earned run.
Bower didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning when the Falcons collected two, leading to a run. Bower worked seven innings, allowing two runs (one earned) and just those two hits. He walked four, hit one and struck out 10.
“Quality start [for Bower],” Pullen said. “He probably would like to have a couple of pitches back but he gave us a quality start and Jake [Woskobunik] came on in relief and he did a good job as well.”
James Wood seemingly had Gilmer (six innings) on the ropes numerous times throughout the contest but the crafty lefty was able to work around most of it and limit the damage each time. In the first three innings the Colonels had six base runners, but four of them were thrown out on the bases.
Fauquier (9-5) opened the scoring with an unearned run in the first. Shortstop Eli Rittenhouse was hit by a pitch to lead off the game, He stole second and moved to third on a passed ball, One out later he scored on an error for a 1-0 lead.
Wood tied the score with a run in its half of the second.
Cleanup hitter Colin Thomas walked to lead off the inning and Tyler Prusik followed with a single, Both runners moved up on a Cade Cornwell sacrifice bunt. Thomas was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice. But with two outs, the Colonels caught a break when Gilmer unleashed a wild pitch, allowing Prusik to score.
The score would remain 1-1 until the Falcons were able to break through again in the top of the sixth.
Fauquier three-hole hitter Matt Graham led off the inning with the Falcons’ first hit of the game. He immediately stole second to get into scoring position.
Bower was on the verge of getting out of the inning with no damage after retiring the next two hitters. However, a two-out walk to Trevor Mitchell brought second baseman Cas Rizzo to the plate. Rizzo promptly lined a single to the outfield, scoring Graham for a 2-1 Fauquier lead.
Unfazed, the Colonels answered right back with a run in their half of the sixth. With one out, Thomas hit what appeared to be a routine fly ball to shallow right field. However, some miscommunication between the right fielder and second baseman led to the ball being misplayed, and it dropped in for an error.
Hustling all the way, Thomas made it all the way to second. Prusik sacrificed him to third and Cornwell drew a walk to put runners on the corners.
With Lane Herring at the plate, Gilmer uncorked his third wild pitch of the game allowing Thomas to score and once again tie the game.
Bower set the Falcons down in order in the seventh and Wood had a golden opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the seventh.
Shortstop Parker Kerns led off with a solid single to center. Number nine-hole hitter Kaden McCullough tried to sacrifice him to second, but was unsuccessful.
With two strikes the Colonels took the bunt off, but the Falcons were still looking for it. Third baseman Bo Finkbeiner was still playing in, halfway to the plate. McCullough hit a one-hop rocket right at Finkbeiner that he made an amazing grab on. He threw to second to force Kerns out.
Bower followed with a walk, the fourth time he reached base in the game, and Owen Neal was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. But the next two hitters both struck out.
The Falcons immediately took advantage of their new life. With one out in the top of the eighth, Finkbeiner singled and Eli Bynaker walked. Both moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch.
Mitchell then gave the Falcons the lead for good with a sharp single to center, easily scoring Finkbeiner. Bynaker was held at third and the Colonels avoided more damage by retiring the next two hitters to end the threat and inning.
Wood threatened to at least tie the game again in the bottom of the eighth.
Prusik walked to lead off the inning and with one out, Herring was hit by a pitch. With the potential winning run again on base, the Colonels were unable to collect the hit they needed. The Falcons bullpen retired the next two hitters to end the game.
For the game the Colonels outhit the Falcons 6-4 but they only had one hit after the fifth inning. Two of Fauquier’s four hits drove in runs.
Bower was the only player for either team with multiple hits. He finished 2 for 2 with a double and two walks.
The Colonels will try to get back on track with a road game at Liberty on Thursday night, and they’ll then take on Millbrook at home on Monday.