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Lake Braddock's run on diamond ends in state semifinals
The Lake Braddock baseball team spent 20 games and two tournaments working to get to this point, but it took only one half of an inning and less than 10 minutes for it all to come crashing down.
The Bruins rode this emotional roller coaster throughout, but eventually suffered a heartbreaking 7-6 loss to Colonial Forge (20-8) in the Virginia AAA state semifinals.
With the Bruins (23-4) ahead by two in the sixth, Colonial Forge's Nich Lanciault (2-for-3, 2 runs scored) started a three-run rally with his one-out double and Jason Kittell battled Lake Braddock reliever Brian Derner for a nine-pitch walk.
After a walk to Levi Hyams loaded the bases, Nich Paskanik (1-for-2, HR, 4 RBIs) grounded out to Lake Braddock third baseman Kenny Towns to plate a run and seemingly provide a glimmer of hope.
But Colonial Forge's Taylor Guinn provided the dagger. After battling his way to a full count, Guinn bounced an RBI-single up the middle, which barely eluded Derner's mitt. Two Eagles came around to score, and when Lake Braddock went down in order in the top of the seventh, a suddenly disconsolate batch of Bruins were all that remained.
“Swept right out from underneath us,” said a noticeably shaken Shane Halley. “Like salt in the wound.”
The Eagles will advance to the state title game and play either Bethel or James River Saturday night at Westfield High School.
After winning the regular season and postseason Patriot District titles, as well as the Northern Region crown with a 9-6 win over Chantilly last Friday, Lake Braddock had found itself with an impressive 20-game winning streak. The Bruins hadn't lost since a 6-2 defeat to West Springfield on April 1.
Although they scored an average of 10.95 runs per game during the streak, the Bruins slogged their way through three scoreless innings to start the game. In the meantime, Colonial Forge tacked on two runs in each of the first two frames.
With the Bruins uncharacteristically trailing by four in the fourth, Jordan Tiamson laced a double to right-center field that ignited a five-run rally. Brenden Daley (2-for-3, RBI, 2 runs scored) chipped in with a single and Ryan Buckrop's groundout produced the Bruins' first run.
Ryan Lindemuth, Halley and Shannon Mark all followed by drawing walks, and Mark's scored a run to make it 5-2. The much-needed offensive moment for the Bruins' was next.
Lake Braddock's Steven Lindemuth (2-for-4, 3 RBIs) followed Mark's walk by crushing a double to right. Lindemuth's shot crossed up Paskanik and resulted in a three-run double that gave Lake Braddock the lead.
“It's been hard to shut us down. We swing the bats really well, and they did the same thing today,” said Mark, who finished 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored. “They hung with us [Friday].”
Daley followed by crushing a homer to left, and suddenly Lake Braddock had the momentum and seemed to be carrying it back to Burke. With the team's best pitcher on the mound in Derner, the Bruins had no choice but to endure the same that they had given to 20 previous opponents.
Only this time it was more painful.
“There's not much you can say to make that thing feel better,” said Lake Braddock coach Jody Rutherford. “I just told them that I was pleased with how hard they played all year. There's nothing really I could say that could make that better.”
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