Playoff Baseball and Softball: Concorde District Championship

By Jimmy Thomas
Content Editor, DigitalSports.com

Check below the stories for highlights of both championship games in separate video players

CONCORDE DISTRICT BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Earlier this month, Chantilly Coach Kevin Ford used the pitching combination of junior Jordan Johnson and senior Christopher Yates to win on the road at league-favorite Oakton. And why mess with a winning formula?

So Ford called on the same combination Monday night, and Johnson and Yates surrendered only two hits to help the Chargers defeat Oakton, 5-3, to earn their first district baseball championship since 1991.

“Jordan does an outstanding job,” Ford said. “He is a kid that just goes out and battles. He keeps throwing strikes, keeps hitting his spots. He is just fearless.”

The game was scoreless through the first four innings until the Chargers posted three runs in the top of the fifth. Yates led off with a single and later scored on an error. Then junior Daniel Bates knocked in senior Justin Carwile with a double to right/center and later scored himself on a sacrifice fly by senior Daniel Phillips.

The Cougars answered quickly in the bottom half of the inning when senior catcher Keith Werman doubled in two runners to knotting the game at 3-3. But Chantilly would not be denied and just like the aforementioned game earlier this year junior first baseman Brian King blasted a two-run home run in the top of the sixth to give the Chargers a two-run lead and, ultimately, the victory.

                         R   H   E
Chantilly           5    6   0
Oakton             2    2   1

CONCORDE DISTRICT SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Robinson, the defending Northern Region champion, will enter this year’s upcoming tournament as the No. 1 seed after beating Herndon, 4-2, on Monday night at Westfield 4-2 en route to capturing the Concorde District championship.

The Rams got seven strong innings in the pitching circle from tournament MVP Erin Henning, who allowed only one earned run while scattering eight hits. Robinson sophomore Marcy Bowden led the way offensively, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and one run scored.

Hornet senior pitcher Katie Briggs went 3-for-4 from the plate and got her team started with a monster solo home run over the center field wall in the top of the first inning, but Herndon, despite eight hits, failed to capitalize. The Hornets stranded seven base runners in the game.

Both teams, however, will move on the Northern Region tournament and host a first-round game.

                       R   H   E
Herndon         2    8   0
Robinson        4    5   2