The Virginia Cardinals went up against the Arkansas state champs for their second game in the World Series on Sunday, August 5. Patrick County fans showed up again in full force in Lumberton, N.C. to support their hometown team.
The VA All-Stars held on to a 7-6 win. Toby Perkins got the start on the mound and earned the win, pitching a strong 3 and 2/3 innings. Gavin Fain then came in as relief and threw a strong 2 innings and with 2 outside and the bases loaded, hanging on to a 7-6 lead, Hunter Pendleton came to the mound and struck out the final batter to earn a huge save.
At the plate, the VA all-stars were led by Tucker Swails with 2 hits and 3 RBI’s, Stuart Callahan with 2 hits and 2 RBI’s and Fain with 2 hits and 1 RBI.
The bottom of the first inning proved to be the difference maker for the VA All-Stars, with Fain leading off with a walk followed by a Martin Sawyers single to set up another big 3 run home run by Swails. Perkins and Braedon Augustine each added a hit. With 2 wins, the Virginia All-Stars advanced to take on Louisiana on Monday night.
The Virginia All-Stars fell to Louisiana 7-1 in a game that started out as planned but ended up with a 45 minute delay in the bottom of the first inning due to lightning.
Virginia opened up the top of the first inning by scratching out an early run. Fain drew a leadoff walk and came around to score on a single by Swails. The VA All-Stars then loaded up the bases with 1 out on an intentional walk to Augustine but failed to capitalize, hitting into the dreaded inning ending double play. They also loaded the bases with 1 out in the fourth inning and failed to score.
Following the lightning delay, Swails got the start on the mound and was on a roll early, giving up no runs on 2 hits, striking out 5 through 2 and 1/3 innings. Following a questionable hit by pitch, Swails left the game due to pitch count rules. Pendleton came in relief and threw a quality 2 and 1/3 innings with Augustine finishing out the last 1/3 inning.
Louisiana scored 4 runs in the third inning and 3 in the fifth to take the 7-1 win.
Offensively, while able to put the ball in play most of the night, the VA all-stars were limited to a lone hit by Swails in the top of the first. With the loss, the Va All-Stars dropped into the losers bracket and took on Arkansas on Tuesday night.
Game 4 for the VA All-Stars was a rematch against the state champs from Texarkana, Arkansas. Both teams each had 1 loss in the World Series and this rematch would result in the winner remaining to fight another day and the loser heading home.
Once again, Patrick County’s faithful fans showed up in full force in Lumberton, N.C. to support their hometown team. The outcome of the rematch was definitely not what the VA All-Stars were hoping for nor was it what the fans were expecting as Arkansas knocked off Virginia by a score of 11-0.
The VA All-stars got behind early in the top of the first inning and could never muster up the energy to rebound from the early deficit. Arkansas, with aggressive bats and a struggling VA defense, scored 4 in the 1st, 2 in the 2nd, 3 in the 3rd and 2 in the 4th to put the VA boys away.
Perkins, Swails, and Augustine handled the pitching duties for the day and of the 11 runs scored, only 4 were earned.
At the plate, the VA all-stars, were only able to pick up 2 hits on the day with one each by Swails and Augustine.
Following the final game for the PC All-stars, players, coaches, family and friends all gathered together to celebrate the successes of this Patrick County program. While disappointed that the season had to come to an end, the Patrick County All-stars, who were crowned both District 3 and VA State Champions and with a 2-2 record finished 5th in the Dixie Youth O’Zone World Series, had absolutely nothing to hang their heads about. While the season came to a close, the fun and excitement of being the VA State Champions will continue for quite a while. The boys and their coaches and families already have a number of invitations for events in the PC community to be recognized for their successful season. They have also been invited to be the Grand Marshal’s for the Patrick County Christmas parade on December 1st in Stuart.
