FC Pioneers defeat George Wythe 6-4

Fort Chiswell Edges George Wythe

By LEE GRIMES/Correspondent

George Wythe traveled to Fort Chiswell Wednesday afternoon for a non-district game and fell short by losing to the Pioneers 6-4.
Fort Chiswell swept the two game season series winning the first outing 2-1 on a two run home run by Mark Galimore early in the season.
Vernon Holland suffered the loss on the mound for the Maroons. Holland allowed 10 hits while striking out three and walking one Pioneer.
Drew White took the win for Fort Chiswell pitching six innings before being relieved in the final inning by Blake Musick. The two combined for four strikeouts, one walk, and allowed four GW hits.
Holland led the Maroons at the plate going 2-for-3, including a double. Devin Smith and Timmy Goins had the other two hits for George Wythe. The top hitters for the Pioneers were Galimore, Musick and Jake Underwood with two hits apiece. Gallimore and Musick each had a double.
Kelly Kline led off the top of the first inning for GW with a walk. Kline stole second base and then stole third base. Robert Yonce batted next and was thrown out at first by Pioneer shortstop Josh McNeil, but not before earning a RBI as Kline came home for the first run of the game. Infield put-outs accounted for outs two and three to end the side for GW.
Fort Chiswell got four singles from McNeil, Gallimore, Musick and Underwood, who also got two RBIs, to take a 2-1 lead after the first inning.
George Wythe sent four batters to the plate in the top of the second inning but only managed to get one runner on base on a FC error, which GW left stranded.
In the bottom of the second inning Fort Chiswell’s Cody Poole reached first base on a fielder’s choice, but was later thrown out at first base on a heads up double play by GW centerfielder Kline, who caught a pop fly and then hurled the ball back to first base before Poole could get back to the base. Fort Chiswell maintained a 2-1 lead after two innings of play.
Holland hit a double and Smith a single in the top of the third inning, but GW was not able to get any runners past second base.
Fort Chiswell got two singles, a double and RBIs from Musick and Tyler Akers to put another three runs on the board in the bottom of the third. The Pioneers took a 5-1 lead going in to the top of the fourth inning.
The Maroons went three up and three down in the top of the fourth, hitting the ball all three times, but all three were thrown out at first base.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Pioneers had two outs and a runner on first when Galimore hit a hard double to right-center field. Kline scooped up the ball and relayed it to shortstop Brett Grimes, who then fired the ball to catcher Smith tagging out the FC runner, who was trying to score from first base. The score remained 5-1 after four innings.
George Wythe tried to rally in the top of the fifth when Goins reached base on a single. Then Holland laid down a well executed bunt to put runners on first and second base.
The base runners advanced on a sacrifice by Kline and later scored on a FC error that landed Yonce on first base. Some good base running by Yonce took him to third base and a Smith RBI brought him in for the third run of the inning. Another GW put-out ended the side for GW.
A pop fly and two infield put-outs made for a short at bat for FC, but they still hung on to a 5-4 lead going in to the sixth inning.
The Maroons were not able to score any more runs as they went three up and three down in both the sixth and seventh innings. Fort Chiswell scored another run in the sixth inning and didn’t need their last at bat in the seventh inning to secure the 6-4 victory.
George Wythe (6-4) was scheduled to play at home last night against Chilhowie (10-4) and Tuesday at home against Northwood (2-4).
Fort Chiswell (12-3) was scheduled to play at Narrows (7-6) last night and at home on May 14 against Patrick Henry.

George Wythe 100 030 0—4 4 3
Fort Chiswell 203 001 x—6 10 2
White, Musick (7) and Underwood. Holland and Smith. W-White. L-Holland. HR-None.