Region 6D Quick Hits: South Lakes at Herndon
June 4, 2022
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A perfect Friday night for baseball saw old rivals meet for the 2022 Region 6D Championship. South Lakes travelled to Herndon, as did a lot of the North and Western Fairfax baseball community. Both teams tabbed senior righthanders for the start, with South Lakes going with Ryan Ertlschweiger (James Madison) and Herndon going with Ryan Henson (Patrick Henry CC).
Henson would work a relatively quiet first two innings. Ertlschweiger also came out in dominant fashion, fanning 5 in the first two innings. There were two pitches where he got beat though, both of which were hammered to center for home runs off of the bats of Liam Willson (Wake Forest) and Conor Brennan. After two, Herndon had a 2-0 lead.
South Lakes loaded the bases in the top of the third with no outs and and after a hit-by-pitch scored a Seahawk run, Colin Casey (Randolph-Macon) delivered a 2-run single to left to give South Lakes a 3-2 lead. Herndon would create a pattern in the bottom half of the inning when they immediately responded to tie the game.
That score would hold until the eighth, despite multiple threats from both teams. In the top of the eighth, South Lakes was able to load the bases against Herndon reliever Jackson Coen (Georgetown), and on a two-out, full-count pitch, drew a walk to take a 4-3 lead. The inning would end a few pitches later when a Seahawks runner attempted a straight steal of home on a 3-1 pitch and was tagged out. That left a window for Herndon, and the Hornets were able to put on two runners ahead of pinch hitter Johnathan Morgan, who came up with two outs and the game on the line. He got down two strikes quickly, but was able to stay in the at-bat and muscle a game-tying single to right to extend the game.
Herndon threatened again in the ninth, but ultimately the game pushed to the eleventh inning, still in a 4-4 tie. A leadoff walk and a single put two runners on and ultimately led to a bases-loaded one-out situation. A shallow to medium deep fly ball was hit to right, and Ryan O'Connor tagged up and took off from third, he was called safe in a play that was extremely close, giving South Lakes a 5-4 lead that they took to the bottom half of the inning.
In the bottom of the eleventh, Colin Casey, who had entered the game as a reliever in the sixth inning was approaching the 100 pitch mark and he opened the inning with a careful walk of Willson followed by another walk to Hill Naski (James Madison).That ended Casey's night and South Lakes went to the pen. Matthew Neach welcomed the new arm to the game with a game-tying single to right. After an intentional walk to load the bases, Brennan came to the plate and capped off a spectacular night with a walk-off single to left-center, giving Herndon the Region Championship.
Brennan finished the game 3-6 with a HR and 2 RBI. Henson was 2-4 with 2 BB at the plate and Willson was 1-3 with a HR and 3 BB. Ertlschweiger struck out 10 in 5 innings for South Lakes while Casey punched out 7 in 5 innings of his own while going 2-4 with 3 RBI and 2 BB at the plate. Jaime Quinn-Irons was 3-5 with a BB.
Both teams advance to the State Tournament, with Herndon hosting West Springfield on Tuesday and South Lakes traveling to Region C champion Lake Braddock.
SP on a perfect night in Herndon for #VHSL6d Championship
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 3, 2022
2022 RHP @ryanertl9 (@JMUBaseball) for @SLakesbaseball
2022 RHP @KyleJoeHenson1 (@PHCC_Baseball) for @HHornetBaseball #PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC pic.twitter.com/DwH80UYewB
2023 @ryanoconnor23_ (@SLakesbaseball)
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 3, 2022
Stays inside and leads the game off with a full count single go RC#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d pic.twitter.com/MULGHIwGJY
With 1st and 3rd and one out, @SLakesbaseball runs an early break play and 2022 @HHSCanesbasebal SS @HillNaski (@JMUBaseball) guns out the runner at the plate. A pick off at 2nd ends the inning with no score#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d pic.twitter.com/Bu3PoGYVrW
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 3, 2022
2023 @liamwillson614 (@HHornetBaseball/@WakeBaseball)
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 3, 2022
.@prepbaseball #PBRFutureGames alum gets the Hornets on the board with this ????? to dead center
1-0 Herndon, end of 1#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d @ShooterHunt pic.twitter.com/e5FwSxdEmt
2022 OF Conor Brennan with a ??? to LC for @HHornetBaseball in the 2nd
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 3, 2022
End of 2, Herndon leads @SLakesbaseball 2-0#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d #PBRBombSquad pic.twitter.com/GZglLh47bM
2022 RHP @ryanertl9 (@SLakesbaseball/@JMUBaseball)
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 3, 2022
Strong athletic frame, low slot, short quick arm action. Works up and down with FB, power breaker. 5K thru 2 IP
FB 89-91
BB 75#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d pic.twitter.com/aVIbDYkWlQ
.@SLakesbaseball takes a 3-2 lead in the top of the 3rd on this 2 ? single from 2022 Colin Casey (@RMCJackets)#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d pic.twitter.com/gBdTrYlSe8
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 3, 2022
2023 @liamwillson614 (@HHornetBaseball/@WakeBaseball)
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 3, 2022
Legs out an infield single into the ?️ and the ball gets away, Herndon ties game at 3 in Bottom 3#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d pic.twitter.com/IR5ji1WeKI
2023 @liamwillson614 (@HHornetBaseball/@WakeBaseball)
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 3, 2022
First a ?, then a hustle IF single, now on the bump in relief
FB 85-87, T89
CB 74#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d @ShooterHunt pic.twitter.com/gpUSD8E36A
8-6-4-2 DP to end the top of the 6th if you're scoring at home. South Lakes' 4th out on the bases of the game
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 4, 2022
Still tied at 3, Mid 6, @HHornetBaseball coming up#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d pic.twitter.com/rMQHXXx5sv
.@SLakesbaseball cuts a run down at plate as Herndon tried to score when throw to 1st was low. 1B w/a good block and recovery to get the out
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 4, 2022
Colin Casey then picks off the runner at 1st
Headed to the 7th tied#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d pic.twitter.com/4S8DxhWHze
2022 OF Jamie Quinn-Irons (@SLakesbaseball) leads the 7th off with a single to left and steals 2nd#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d pic.twitter.com/oJM84CT3VS
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 4, 2022
.@SLakesbaseball put 2 in scoring position no outs.
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 4, 2022
2022 RHP Jackson Coen (@HHornetBaseball/@GtownBaseball) Ks the next 3 hitters to keep the game tied and send it to bottom of 7th
FB 87-89
SL 78-79#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d pic.twitter.com/RVVmo68DT1
Coen misses high with a full count, 2 outs, and bases loaded. Casey works a walk and @SLakesbaseball has a 4-3 lead in the 8th
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 4, 2022
Inning ends on an attempted straight steal of home. @HHornetBaseball coming up needing a run#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d pic.twitter.com/7Oi9l9mWlb
Down to their last strike, pinch hitter Jonathan Morgan muscles a single to right to tie the game for @HHornetBaseball
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 4, 2022
Onto the 9th, Herndon and @SLakesbaseball tied at 4#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d pic.twitter.com/0tzZ6wjtq0
Great play in the hole by 2023 @NeihardtJonah (@SLakesbaseball) to get the lead runner and the first out here in the 9th#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d pic.twitter.com/lNP3g81mGU
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 4, 2022
2022 James Quinn-Irons (@SLakesbaseball) rips a single to left and Seahawks have 2 on, no out in 11th#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d pic.twitter.com/O15BDGhoUC
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 4, 2022
Bases loaded and shallow fly to right, great slide by @ryanoconnor23_ (@SLakesbaseball) to get around the tag
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 4, 2022
Seahawks now lead @HHornetBaseball 5-4#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d pic.twitter.com/r2D13tZED7
2022 Matt Neach (@HHornetBaseball) RBI single to right to tie the game at 5#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d pic.twitter.com/OBlcKaAfnn
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 4, 2022
?WALKOFF ?WINNER?
— John Nolan (@PBRVADC_Nolan) June 4, 2022
2022 Connor Brennan delivers Herndon the 6D Championship in the 11th
Final Score:
.@HHornetBaseball 6
.@SLakesbaseball 5
Herndon hosts @wshsvarbaseball and South Lakes goes to @BraddockBall Tuesday for States#PBRisThere @VHSL_ @PBRVirginiaDC #VHSL6d pic.twitter.com/3JGBZ6kKvJ