Prep Baseball Report

Page County Holds on to Defeat Virginia in 2A Championship


Jerry Shank
Virginia Director

TPG 6.19

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A four-run second inning would be the difference as the Page County Panthers hold on to defeat the Virginia High School Bearcats 5-4 and claim the VHSL 2A State Championhip.

After a scoreless first inning to start the game off, Page got on the scoreboard early with a quick jab to the Bearcats to the tune of four runs. A single an error would put runner in scoring position and Chase Combs would knock in the first run of the game with his single through the 5-6 hole. Then with runners on first and third with one out, Nathan Lucas would score on a wild pitch to take a 2-0 lead. With runners at first and second, TR Williams would drive a single to right that made the score 3-0. Tristan Eppard's RBI groundout would end the scoring for the Panthers in the inning, but not before they put up a four spot in the inning.

Williams, the Page County starting pitcher and having on of the top statistical seasons in the state in his freshman year, put on a gutty and masterful performance on the mound for the Panthers. Williams would shut down the Bearcat offense until the fifth inning when they got their first hit of the game. Two singles and a 2-RBI triple from Jamie Lathrop would be the result of that inning and the Bearcats were slowly crawling back into the game at 4-2. A double play would end the inning with the final out of the inning coming from a play at the plate.

Page county would add another run with a big RBI single from Combs again to extend the Panther lead to 5-2.

The Bearcats would be able to add runs in the sixth and seventh innings off of Williams, but the freshmen was able to get out of both jams with key pitches and big defensive play behind him. On the final play of the game and the tying run at first Eppard snagged a would be line drive base hit to end the game with a force out at second.

Combs led Page Co. going 2-for-3 with two RBI. Josh Good was 2-for-3 on the game and might be best remembered for his outfield assist throwing a runner out at the plate which turned out to be a run that saved the game for Page. Williams went the complete game scattering six hits, giving up four runs, struck out seven, walked one and hit one.

Lathrop led the Bearcats with a hit and two RBI in the game.