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By John Nolan
Assistant Director of Scouting/Content Management 

Ashburn-Friday night saw the No. 23 Briar Woods Falcons host Conference 14 rival Stone Bridge in the Batter Up For Rupp game. The Falcons came into the game off of a close win Tuesday night against Potomac Falls. Stone Bridge entered the game riding a three game winning streak, having beaten Broad Run on Tuesday. The Bulldogs sent senior ace Brett Kreyer (Lafayette) to the mound and Briar Woods countered with their own senior ace, Caleb Barnes.

The Bulldogs got things rolling quickly in the top of the first as shortstop John Callahan (George Mason) was hit by a pitch to start the game. Callahan scored when the next batter, second basemen Dylan Beck (Hood) doubled to left-center to get the scoring going. Beck would score later in the inning from second when catcher Eli Quiceno (Gannon) was safe at first on a double play ball.

Trailing 2-0 early, the Falcons also got right to work responding. With two outs and runners on the corners, third baseman Nathan Davis (Johns Hopkins) doubled to left-center to cut the deficit to 2-1. Senior centerfielder Jacob Hand (Randolph Macon) tied the game up with a single to center before Kreyer was able to shut the inning down.

Both pitchers settled in a bit, matching zeroes in the second and third innings. For velocities and scouting information on Kreyer and Barnes, check the Virginia/DC Scout Blog next week. Barnes also tossed a scoreless fourth, as he had the Bulldog hitters off-balance at this point.

Briar Woods started the bottom of the fourth off with a single by junior Matt Lord. After George Rosales successfully bunted him over, senior second baseman Zach Covert tripled down the right field line to give the Falcons the lead. Covert scored when Gino Ventrice singled past a diving third baseman. After four innings, the score was Briar Woods 4, Stone Bridge 2.

In the top of the sixth, Stone Bridge started to try to cut into the deficit as two of the first three hitters singled, including junior Zach Spahr’s second hit of the game, to put the tying runs in scoring position with one out for the top of the order. Callahan cashed in one run on a fielder’s choice, but Barnes was able to end the inning with the led intact at 4-3.

Kreyer got the first two outs in the bottom of the sixth quickly, but Rosales singled up the middle and Covert hit his second triple of the game to left center to extend the lead back to two and end Kreyer’s night. The Bulldogs turned to junior Gary Fuller, who got Ventrice to ground softly towards first base, but the ball hit the bag and skipped away, allowing Covert to score and stretching Briar Woods’ lead to 6-3.

Junior Michael Ludowig (Wake Forest) came in from the outfield to close the game for the Falcons in the seventh and he got the job done quickly, only allowing one runner to reach base on an error.

For Briar Woods, Barnes earned the win with 6 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 3 BB, HBP, and 4 K. Barnes also scored a run. Ludowig earned the save with 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, and 1 K while also going 2-3 at the plate with a run scored. Ventrice finished 3-4 with 2 RBI. Davis was 1-3 with a 2B and an RBI. Hand went 1-3 with and an RBI. Rosales went 1-2 with a run socred. Covert went 2-3 with 2 3Bs, 2 R, and 2 RBIs. The Falcons return to action Tuesday as they travel to Broad Run before returning home against Tuscarora on Friday.

For Stone Bridge, Kreyer took the loss, going 5 2/3 IP, 6 R, 10 H, 0 BB, 3 K and was also 1-4 at the plate. Fuller threw 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H. Callahan went 1-3 at the plate with a RBI, R, and HBP. Beck went 2-4 with a 2B, R, and an RBI. Spahr went 2-2 with a BB. The Bulldogs only have one scheduled game next week, hosting Tuscarora on Tuesday.