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Playoff Quick Hits: VISAA DII Semi's

May 16, 2025
Staff
Prep Baseball Virginia/DC

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On Friday there were two VISAA DII State Semifinal games at Shepherd Stadium. These two games featured the top seeded Greenbrier Christian Gators taking on the #4 Steward Spartans. In the second game, #2 Atlantic Shores Seahawks had another big matchup with the #3 Highland Hawks. We will take a quick look at summaries for those two games, along with some video from the big moments.

#1 Greenbrier Christian Gators vs #4 Steward Spartans

These two matched up in late March and the Gators toppled the Spartans, defeating them by a final score of 16-0. This matchup was significantly different. Steward jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first after game MVP Brooks Johnson doubled to put two on base. His double was followed by a fielder's choice that would score Proctor. After that, the flood gates opened for the next few hitters. A trio of walks, some scattered command, and a big Oliver McGregor triple would make it 4-0 Spartans.

The Gators answered with four of their own in the bottom half. The first three hitters would reach, including singles from seniors Joshua Henkel (EMU) and Thomas Conrad (VMI). Ryan Watson, Jack Bonney (Barton), and Alijah Trone would drive in runs to tie it up at 4-4.

The next scoring that would be done was on a Jackson Okonkwo (ODU) double that would score one Gator in the bottom of the second to make it 5-4.

After that the scoring would cease until the top of the seventh. Steward's Ty Rhyne and GCA's Hayden Dunlow would do more than their share of heavy lifting on the mound. Rhyne threw 5.2 innings and gave up one unearned run, while Dunlow would also work 5.2 innings, scattering five hits, striking out nine, and not giving up a run.

Down one run in the top of the seventh, the Spartans walked to lead the inning off and Brooks Johnson would once again deliver, this time with a two run homerun. His homerun would be followed up two hitters later by a Cayden Diatelevi (CNU) two run shot, making it 8-5 Spartans. Steward would allow two Gators runners to reach leading off the bottom of the seventh, but Tex Stinnett would get a strikeout and a flyout to end it and advance the Spartans to the championship. Coach Secrest, aka "Mr. May", pulls out another big upset for this Steward program.

#2 Atlantic Shores Seahawks vs #3 Highland School Hawks

After losing to Shores in a nailbiter a few weeks back, Highland came out with a vengeance in this one. The Hawks pounded out sixteen hits in this game, including three in the first to get them on the board. Joey Rogers (Wingate), Benji Cardone (VMI), and Justin Summers (William & Mary) all collected hits in that inning.

Shores starter Patrick Dudley worked a much quicker and cleaner second, retiring the Hawks in order, but they would chase him in the third after a few hits, a few walks, and an error compounded on top of one another. However, this came after Atlantic Shores scored three in the bottom of the second to take the lead. Similar to the top of the third, Shores took advantage of four walks and a Brett Beasley (ECU) single to put up three runs.

In the top of the third Highland regained the lead when Christian Dart (Roanoke) got a ball through the left side to score Cardone. Two hitters later Jake Gunning singled to bring home two Hawks, making it 6-3.

Atlantic Shores would close the gap on a Jake Armstrong (Misericordia) double to make it 6-5.

In the bottom of the fourth Brett Beasley would make a straight steal of home to tie it up at 6-6, but Highland would once again answer back. What may have been the nail in the coffin, Jake Gunning came through in a huge way with a laser out of left center to put the Hawks up 8-6, and they would never look back.

In the top of the seventh the Hawks would pour it on via a Dart double, Ethan Hudson single, Wright Broadhead single, Rogers single, Brooks Graham single, Cardone double, and Summers double. Their seven hits and three walks would allow them to score seven runs and ultimately seal the victory with a final score of 15-7.