Photo by Brian Hoffman
Weather permitting, the Lord Botetourt baseball team is scheduled to play a 5:30 p.m. game today against Salem at Billy Sample Field in Salem. The forecast called for rain at press time, but the Cavaliers were hoping to get this one in as they’ve been on a roll with four straight wins.
The Cavaliers won their last two games in dramatic fashion with walk-off wins. Last Friday at home the Cavs hosted Northside and were behind 7-4 heading into the bottom of the seventh. They loaded the bases with no outs and Beau Lonker cleared them with a double, tying the game. LB ended up winning on a one-out sacrifice fly by Jairdan Pennix.
Brady Kish picked up the win with three solid innings of relief on the mound. He allowed just two hits and no runs while fanning seven in relief of starter Swisher Cook.
On Monday in Daleville the Cavaliers hosted non-district Pulaski County and got another walk-off win. This one went nine innings before it was decided, with LB prevailing 12-11.
With the score tied at 11-11 into the bottom of the seventh, Garrett Lonker singled, Cook walked and Emory Lonker dropped a bunt single to load the bases. Beau Lonker was up next and he took one for the team, as he was hit by a pitch to force in the winning run for a second straight walk-off victory for LB.
Garrett Lonker started on the mound against the Cougars and pitched four innings. Kobe Hairston pitched to five batters before he was relieved by Chase Peck, who was terrific in picking up the win. Peck pitched the final four and two-thirds innings, allowing just one hit while striking out eight.
The Cavaliers also played a non-district game at Blacksburg last Wednesday and won 5-0 as Garrett Lonker and Jackson Crenshaw combined for the shutout. Last Tuesday they smoked William Fleming, 18-4, for a Blue Ridge District win.
The Cavaliers are back home Thursday for a big district game against Franklin County.
