By John Leonard

The storms in the Valley are pretty amazing, honestly. Driving home from New Market this evening, lightning was flashing off to the East the entire trip. Seriously, there were so many lightning strikes that we couldn’t even get close to counting them all. I believe that was the same storm that stopped the first game of the Waynesboro-Staunton series. Anyway, I digress.

Recaps

-Waynesboro at Staunton, Game 1: This game was suspended by a storm in the bottom of the 6th inning with Waynesboro leading, 6-1. According to the league bylaws, playoff games must be finished, so the plan is this: GAME ONE WILL BE FINISHED AT 3 PM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AT STAUNTON. THE TEAMS WILL THEN TRAVEL OVER TO WAYNESBORO TO PLAY GAME TWO, SCHEDULED TO START AT 7 PM.
-Strasburg 13, New Market 7- Strasburg wins the series, 2-0. The Express were relentless offensively, eventually running away from New Market and sweeping the opening round series, two games to none. Using a 13-hit, 11-walk attack, the Express scored in seven of its nine half innings. Right fielder Eric Toth led the way, going 3-5, with two runs, four RBIs, and a home run to dead center off a hanging curve in the first inning. Ryan Galanie was a catalyst as well, as he was on base five times, twice on singles and three times on walks. He scored three runs and stole two bases. (Once, he walked, stole second, then stole third and scored when the catcher threw the ball into left field.) Brayton Brown scored three times, Graham Brown hit a double and scored twice, and Cameron Clonch also scored twice. On the hill, Jacob Cravey struck out 10 batters in four innings, and Robert Kelley got the win after two shutout innings in relief. Keegan Allen ended things with two shutout innings of his own, earning all six of his outs by strikeout. New Market didn’t quit; they even pulled to within one at 8-7 in the fifth, but in the end the squad just couldn’t match the firepower from the other lineup. Demetrio Rodriguez led New Market at the plate with two hits and two RBIs. Strasburg goes on to face Winchester in the North finals, while New Market heads home.

Tonight’s Games

-Waynesboro at Staunton, 3 PM- conclusion of suspended game one
-Staunton at Waynesboro, 7 PM- Game two
-Winchester at Strasburg, 7 PM- Game one