By Jimmy Thomas
Content Editor, DigitalSports.com
Check below the story for highlights from both games in separate video players
The top two teams in the Patriot and Concorde Districts squared off Wednesday night at South County for a berth not only into the Northern Region title game but, more importantly, into next weeks Virginia AAA state tournament. As it turned out, it was the two district champions who sealed that fate.
Lake Braddock extended its win streak to 18 games by beating Oakton, 7-2, in the first game of the semifinal doubleheader, and Chantilly similarly advanced for the first time in school history with a 5-4 victory over West Springfield.
The Cougars scored both of their runs in the first two innings and were shut down for the remainder of the game by the Bruin junior left-handed pitcher Brian Derner. Derner threw the complete game, striking out eight and retiring the defending Northern Region champions in order in the last three innings.
Offensively, the big Bruin blow came in the fifth inning when they posted six runs.
Senior Shane Halley doubled to start the inning and immediately scored when senior Shannon Mark tripled to right/centerfield. Seniors’ Steven Lindeman and Jim Buckley then hit back-to-back singles — Buckley’s scored Mark — before senior Jordan Tiamson hit a three-run home run that put Lake Braddock ahead by three.
“It was a 2-0 count, I was looking for a fastball and he laid one right there,” Tiamson said.
Brendan Daley followed with a double and scored on a single by freshman Kenny Towns. Daley also singled in the sixth and scored on a Ryan Buckrop sacrifice fly.
Oakton was led by seniors Keith Werman and Connor Madden, who combined for five hits and scored both runs.
In the second game Chantilly, which has relied on its pitching for most of the season, proved Wednesday was no different as it sent Concorde District Pitcher of the Year Patrick Somers to the hill in the seasons’ most important game. Somers battled all night and got out of two jams which ultimately proved to be the difference in the ballgame.
The Spartans first threatened in the fourth inning when they loaded the bases with one out and the Chargers clinging to a 3-2 lead. Somers made the pitch he needed and got a ground ball to shortstop Chris Yates, who promptly started a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play.
The play of the game, however, came in the seventh inning while the Spartans were mounting a near comeback. Down one with two outs and a man on first, sophomore Bobby Wahl lined a shot to right field where Chantilly junior Joe Danehower scooped it up, crow hopped and threw a strike to senior third baseman Max Langford, who was waiting to tag out the runner for the game’s final out.
“Joe has been doing it in practice all year long,” Somers said. “He is clutch. That is just a prime example of what he can do.”
Offensively the Chargers were led by junior Danny Philips, who pinch hit and knocked in a run in the last inning, senior Chris Gentile, who had two RBIs, and junior Brian King, who scored two runs.
Chantilly and Lake Braddock will meet in the Northern Region Championship Friday night at Yorktown.
Email: jthomas@digitalsports.com
R H E
Lake Braddock 7 11 0
Oakton 2 6 1
R H E
Chantilly 5 6 2
West Springfield 4 9 1
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