HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL: Meredith, Virginia High Bearcats topple Richlands, advance to SWD title game (2024)

ZACH HELTON | Bristol Herald CourierSPORTS CORRESPONDENT

LEBANON, Va. — In a rubber matchup between longtime rivals and dueling senior ace pitchers, the hurler who would give up the most hits to his opponent would also leave Doc Adams Field Friday afternoon with his fourth win on the season.

Bhraedon Meredith scattered five hits but would strike out eight, including the side in the top of the seventh inning, to secure a 3-1 Virginia High victory over Richlands in the second Southwest District baseball semifinal.

Second-year Virginia High skipper Adam Moore also knew the implications of his senior’s performance.

“It’s huge,” exclaimed Moore. “When Bhraedon’s on and he goes, we go with him. He faced some adversity through a couple of innings, but he beared down and got it done.”

The Bearcats (12-8) scored their only runs on the day in the bottom of the third after Richlands squandered a leadoff single in the top of the inning.

Blue Tornado starter Ben Hale walked both Dominic White and EJ Hucks to begin the half-inning in a jam. Following a strikeout of Bearcat shortstop Luke Whitt, Hale loaded the bases with a walk of centerfielder Ollie Foy.

Cue Meredith.

With the Blues infield drawn in, the senior Swiss Army knife hit a tough chopper to third baseman Levi White. White decided to go to first with his throw, which sailed high of first baseman Max Herndon and down the right field line. All three Bearcats aboard would come home and after the dust was settled, Meredith was standing at third.

A groundout and a runners-interference call off the bat of the next hitter, Devin Lathrop, would end the inning, but it would be enough.

The Blue Tornado (12-8) would get their only run of the game in the top half of the fourth. Freshman shortstop Gage Hylton, who reached three times on the day, would leadoff with a hit-by-pitch, steal second, and score on a CJ Earls single, one of Earls’ two hits on the day, to cut the deficit to two.

Richlands would have baserunners throughout the late morning and into the early afternoon, but other than the run in the fourth, could not push anything else across. Second-year head coach Ben Brown felt the Blues were right there.

“We hit the ball well against one of the top pitchers in the district but couldn’t get that one at the right time,” Brown said. “We were one hit away.”

Lathrop’s leadoff single in the second was the only hit Hale would give up on the day, but the seven strikeouts could not overcome the nine walks he issued to Bearcat batters. Coach Moore had his guys prepared to face the big righty for the third time this season.

“All week, we worked middle away and hard fastballs,” touted Moore. “Over the past three days, we worked breaking balls and two-strike approaches, knowing what we would see from Hale.”

All nine in the Virginia High lineup would reach base at least once in the win.

“Ben didn’t have his best stuff today,” mentioned an optimistic Brown. “He was a little wild at times, but he only gave up one hit to a very good team.”

Richlands will now look for a third-place finish and a chance on the road in the Region 2D tournament.

“Now Monday means something. We’d like to get that third-place spot and make our road in the regional tournament a little easier," Brown said. "We feel like we have good enough stuff to make things happen in the region."

The Bearcats meet Lebanon for the Southwest District crown on Monday evening in Lebanon. Both Virginia High and the Pioneers will host in next week’s Region 2D first round.

Adam Moore sounded more like a proud poppa than a head coach as he exited towards the bus.

“The kids found a way to win in this one,” Moore said. “The fact that they hang their heads through the emotional swings, I give credit to them for fighting through it.”

Richlands 000 100 0 — 1 5 1

Virginia High 003 000 x — 3 1 0

Hale, McCracken (6), and Earls. Meredith and Hucks. W – Meredith (4-2) L – Hale (5-6). HR-none.