Rebels Stun Eastside in Region 1D Semifinal
May 29, 2018 Honaker—Patrick Henry edged the Spartans 7 to 5 Tuesday, in the Region 1D semifinal, at Tom Harding Field in Honaker. The win punched the Rebels ticket to the VHSL Playoffs for the first time in over 20 years.
“These guys deserve all the credit; they’ve worked hard, said Rebels coach Tommy Thomas. We’ve come in and put a lot of bats on balls on days that most people took off due to rain. I’m glad to see these guys start getting some bounces their way, they’ve taken some lumps over the last two or three years.”
Andrew Belcher came off the bench, with two outs and delivered the only hit and the go-ahead RBI, in the 3-run fifth inning, for the Rebels. “Andrew’s been in and out, he’s been a DH several times in our line-up. We use him as a pinch-hitter some, he really stepped up.”
Cole Harness, who bagged three hits and three RBI, gave the Spartans a 5 to 2 lead, in the bottom of the third inning, with a three run blast to right field.
Isaac Eldreth’s run-scoring hit made the score 5 to 3 in the top of the fourth inning. The Rebels tied the score in the top of the fifth inning picking up 2 runs without a base hit. Then, with 2 outs, Andrew Belcher knocked in Josh Presley with what proved to be the game-winning hit.
Patrick Henry added an insurance run in the sixth getting a double by Taylor Colby and a RBI hit by Landon Smithson.
Eastside put runners on base in both the sixth and seventh innings but could not break through against Conner Buchanan. Buchanan scattered 8 hits, struck out 5, and did not surrender a walk in the complete game win.
“It was a good game, said Spartans coach Chris Clay. It probably wasn’t quite as close as the scoreboard indicated. The one swing from Harness gave us a little boost but we just got outplayed. That’s a really good baseball team, a lot of credit to them. We ran our best three guys out there and didn’t have a lot for them on the mound. Their pitcher (Buchanan) was really good; we were kind of overmatched up and down the order. The difference in the game, I think, was that they were getting the leadoff man out and we weren’t in most innings. Sometimes that meant runs for them.”
Jackson Cruise led the Rebels’ offense with three hits and scored a run. Blake Rhoton posted three hits and scored a run for the Spartans.
Northwood Ousts Lady Spartans
Chloe Bordwine accounted for 5 runs, on a homerun and two singles, leading the Lady Panthers to an 11 to 0 win over Eastside in the VHSL Region 1D Semifinal Tuesday at Honaker. Sister, Catie Bordwine totaled 3 RBI with a homer and two hits. Nancy Jo Roberts was solid in the circle, for Northwood, holding the potent Eastside bats scoreless on just four hits, while striking out 9.
Emily Moore, Jayme Salyers, Hannah Buchanan, and Anna Whited each had a hit for the Lady Spartans.
“We hit the ball today, we hit a couple of home runs, Roberts did a great job pitching and our defense made a few plays. I’m pretty pleased with today, said Northwood coach B.J. Buchanan. The Bordwine sisters have hit the ball hard all year but Chloe really broke out today. I think it was her first homer of the season. Nancy Jo (Roberts) was really tough today. She got her 16th win of the season against a good team. She changed speeds well and really hit her spots.”
Chloe Bordwine’s homerun came in the top of the second inning to give Northwood a 3 to 0 lead.
Catie Bordwine hit a 2-run homer in the third inning. Miranda McGlocklin, Lauren Sword, and Chloe Bordwine also had run-scoring hits in the Lady Panthers 6-run third inning.
Anna Whited’s base hit, in the bottom of the fifth inning, gave the Lady Spartans runners at first and second. Hits by Emily Moore and Jayme Salyers pushed Eastside runners to second and third in the bottom of the sixth. Each time Nancy Jo Roberts got her Northwood teammates out of the jam with strikeouts.
The Lady Panthers picked up two more runs in the top of the seventh for the 11 to 0 win.
“We had a really good season, said Eastside coach Suzi Atwood. I’ve got some great seniors I’m really going to miss. Hannah Buchanan had a good hit today and played really well. I’m really pleased with my seniors. The whole time (4 years) they’ve really been behind each other, they really know what it means to be teammates. I was really pleased with the way Chloe Bailey came in and helped us today behind the plate; she did a lot of good things. I think our freshmen had a good year, we have a lot to look forward too. We had a good year.”
Casey Litton added two hits for the Lady Panthers. Miranda McGlocklin, Lauren Sword, and Kady Harris also had RBI hits for Northwood.
The win gives Northwood a berth in the VHSL State Quarterfinal next week.