Boys bounce back

By Brittany Stempien
Review Sports Correspondent
Published: April 3, 2008

Orange got back to a .500 average on the season with their win against Fluvanna High School at home Thursday night.
The varsity Hornets started out 1-3, but their first home victory of the season raised their record to an even 3-3.
On the mound for the Hornets was the powerful Evan Price. The Fluvanna Flucos couldn’t do much against Price in the first inning, and a high fly-out to center field ended the inning.
Price got a base hit in the home first to start things off well for his team, and catcher Colsten Bayless moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.
However, Price was stranded when the third and fourth hitters couldn’t drive him in.
They entered the second inning scoreless.
To start it off, Price walked Fluco Justin Edwards, and Alex Farina came in to pinch run for him. After stealing second and advanced to third on an error, senior Josh Garrison cleverly drove in Farina with a sacrifice fly to give the Fluvanna Flucos a 1-0 lead.
It was 1-0 entering the home fourth, and the Hornets had yet to score. The first two batters of the inning struck out. But Nick Bledsoe didn’t lose hope, as he swung forcefully on the first pitch headed his way, producing a base hit up the middle.
Next up was senior Nelson Vargas, who generated another base hit to center field. With men on first and third, a double steal occurred, giving Orange their first run of the game and tying it at 1-1.
But the Hornets weren’t finished yet! An RBI-triple from Tyler Waugh, past the diving center-fielder, allowed Orange to pull ahead 2-1. A base hit from junior Shane Atkins drove in Waugh, and Orange had a 3-1 lead.
As Fluvanna took their turn at the plate in the top of the seventh, Orange’s 3-1 lead seemed very secure, and. D.J. Brown took over at the mound for Price.
However, Orange’s defense began to get sloppy. The first man up for Fluvanna got on base after the first-baseman couldn’t glove the ball. The next batter was walked. After that, a ground ball past the third-baseman loaded the bases for Fluvanna with no outs.
Orange blew their lead to tie the game at 3-3 when sophomore Tyler Denby of Fluvanna smashed a first-pitch 2-RBI double up the third base line.
Tyler Waugh ended the inning by tagging out the man running to first on the head.
Orange came to bat in the bottom of the seventh with a chance to win. A groundout and two walks started off the inning, and then Chris Bittner was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out.
This was a favorable situation for Orange, and they really delivered. Patrick Gallagher came through with a walk-off groundball base hit to drive in the winning run for Orange.
“Evan Price pitched another stellar performance,” said Coach Lohr. “[It was an] all-around great game for him, offensively and defensively.”
“The first home victory of the year was awesome. We have worked very hard, and the kids deserve it,” Coach Lohr said. “I’m very proud of the steps we’re taking in this program. We’re learning to play the game the right way, and now learning to overcome injuries, and overcoming mistakes.”
The Hornets return to action Tuesday night against Monticello at home.

The Hornets shut out Chancellor high School 2-0 in Tuesday’s night’s one-hitter, led by the dominant Derek Justice on the mound.
Justice pitched seven impressive shutout innings, striking out an incredible 15 Chargers.
Evan Price had two hits and two steals, scoring on a passed ball in the seventh to pad the lead to two runs.
The Hornets improved their record to 2-3 with this solid win over the Chargers.