The South won the 2017 Valley Baseball League All-Star Game, taking a 5-0 decision at JMU’s Veterans Memorial Park.
Staunton’s Payton Robertson made the first run of the night happen with his work on the bases. He stole second base, and likely saved an out by distracting the pitcher with his speed to third on an infield single. He then came home on Eric Jones’ groundout.
The South added two more in the eighth inning. Caleb Walls knocked in Jay Charleston, and then scored on Kyle Battle’s RBI single. Robertson and Luke Robinson both came home in the ninth.
Player of the Game honors went to Harrisonburg’s Ty Andrus (4-for-5) and Woodstock’s Danton Hyman- who was the only North player with two hits.
The North just couldn’t get the key hit early on, stranding six runners in the first three innings. South third baseman Bruce Strickland made a tough throw to first to end the third with two runners on the move. The South would go on to strand the bases loaded in the bottom of the third.
Stanton’s Antwaun Tucker got on base to lead off the second for the South. He collided with the shortstop who was trying to make a play on an ensuing single to prevent him from reaching third, and then later went to third on a ball in the dirt but was called back for a batter’s interference. He was never able to score.
New Market’s Chase Sudduth legged out a triple for the North in the fourth inning, but again couldn’t come around to score.
The North got two outs at second base on the same play to end the fifth- throwing out the trail runner at second after the initial double play throw got away.
The North loaded the bases in the top of the sixth, but again couldn’t convert as third baseman Brendan Venter cleanly fielded Simon Landry’s grounder and stepped on the bag to end the threat.
The VBL will also send a league All-Star team to Kannapolis, N.C. next weekend to play three games against other summer collegiate leagues in the inaugural Southern Collegiate Showcase.
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Chris Graham
