Luray stops an upset

By Robert Sisk

Published: May 22, 2008

HARRISONBURG –  Luray won the Shenandoah District championship on Thursday night defeating Wilson Memorial 4-2.
“Wilson played a good game,” said Bulldogs coach Steve Griffith.  “They defeated Gap 1-0, but both teams were loose, maybe a little to loose. We did better when there was pressure on us.”
That pressure started in the first inning when the Hornets scored two runs. Catcher Alex Fisher was 3-for-4 and drove in both of Wilson’s runs.
“I just swung the bat well tonight — that’s all,” Fisher said.
Fisher wanted to make a point at the plate against Bulldogs’ starter Jeremy Leake.
“Every time I faced that kid, I would go 0-for-3 or 0-for-4.  I wanted to make sure that didn’t happen,” he said.
Leake started for the Bulldogs striking out eight en route to his first complete game win of his career.
“I was a little nervous out there, but I knew that the team was there to back me,” Leake said. “My adrenalin pulled me through.”
The Hornets’ infield defense was shaky.
“We played a good ball game, we made mistakes and they capitalized on them,” Hornet coach Derek McDaniel said. “All four runs were unearned.”
McDaniel said that his team still does not discuss victories or defeats.
“We don’t talk about wins or losses, I know that sounds corny, but that’s the truth,” McDaniel said.
Wilson and Luray will play the Bull Run District on Monday in the Region B quarterfinals with Luray hosting the No. 2 team and Wilson will hitting the road to take on the Bull Run champs.
“The kids are very excited and so am I,” Griffith said. “But we still need to take it one day at a time. That’s what we did during the season, so I need to remind them of that.”
Notes: Griffith was named the Shenandoah District Coach of the Year. … Buffalo Gap’s Josh Wenger was awarded the Shenandoah District Player of the Year.