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FredNats reduce magic number to three with Saturday night win

Chris Graham

Fredericksburg NationalsThe FredNats reduced their playoff magic number to three with a 5-2 win over the Delmarva Shorebirds Saturday.

The FredNats defense turned five double plays, and Will Frizzell and Branden Boissiere combined to drive in four of the five runs.

Kyle Luckham earned the win on the mound for the FredNats after entering in the third in relief of starter Mason Denaburg. Luckham allowed one run (one earned) in north of two innings. Peyton Glavine preserved a 4-2 lead in the seventh by striking out top overall pick Jackson Holliday and leaving the bases loaded behind Holden Powell.

The FredNats fell behind 1-0 in the second but rebounded behind three combined sacrifice flies from Boissiere and Frizzell, who also had an RBI single in the fifth. Trey Lipscomb picked up an RBI to score Jacob Young in the third. JT Arruda finished with a pair of hits, including a double, a walk and a run scored.

Chance Huff earned his first professional save with two innings of scoreless relief. He induced the fifth and final double play of the night to end the game. Conor Grady suffered the loss on the mound for the Shorebirds.

The FredNats now stand at 37-21 in the second half and are 5.5 games ahead of Carolina in the chase for the Carolina League North crown. The team’s magic number will be 3 entering Sunday’s 1:35 start. RHP Jose Atencio will get the ball on the mound vs. the Shorebirds.

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham, the king of "fringe media," a zero-time Virginia Sportswriter of the Year, and a member of zero Halls of Fame, is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].