Briar Woods Wins Thriller to Take District Crown

On Friday night, Potomac District rivals Broad Run and Briar Woods squared off for the District Championship. A back and forth thriller took place, with the lead changing hands multiple times before the Falcons ultimately won the game on a walk-off, 6-5. 

With it being the third game in the week, both teams had to piece the game together on the mound. Briar Woods tabbed righty Zach Molthen for the start and Broad Run went with junior Ethan Snyder. Broad Run got on the board in the first when senior Ryan Gorey (Mary Washington) drove in two runs with a two-out double right. Briar Woods responded in the bottom of the first with an RBI double off the bat of Evan Smith (West Virginia) and an RBI single by Aidan Willard (Mary Washington), with a third run scoring on a wild pitch. After the first inning, the score was 3-2 Falcons.

Neither team scored in the second, and both scored single runs in the third inning, with Justin Rebok delivering Broad Run's run on a two-out double. Briar Woods' run was scored when Smith again doubled in a run, giving Briar Woods a 4-3 lead after three innings.

Both teams went to the pen in the fourth, with the Spartans bringing in Adam Chow and Briar Woods turning to Ian Smith. Both pitchers managed scoreless fourth innings. 

In the top of the fifth, Broad Run would score two runs to take the lead. Anthony Puma tied the game with an RBI double, and another run eventually scored on a bases-loaded walk. Briar Woods again answered immediately, loading the bases in the bottom half of the inning with no outs. After Chow got a strikeout of Willard, Rebok came into pitch. He pitched out on a squeeze attempt and the Spartans looked like they would escape with the lead intact, only for a wild pitch to allow the tying run to score. Headed to the sixth, the game was tied at five.

Briar Woods had gone to Kyle Lewis during the rally in the fifth, and he was able to work around a pair of hits to put up a scoreless sixth. Rebok also delivered a quick sixth and the game headed to the final inning, still tied.

In the top of the seventh, Matthew Mizelle led off with a booming triple to right for the Spartans, putting the go-ahead run in scoring position with no outs. Briar Woods turned to senior righty Tyler Woody, and after a walk and a stolen base, Broad Run was in position to take a commanding lead with the heart of their order due up. Woody came up big, striking out the next three hitters to end the inning with the game tied.

Woody led off the bottom half of the inning, and chopped a ball to third that was bobbled, allowing him to reach safely. He stole second base safely and was pinch run for. After Rebok got a strikeout of Nathan Cmeyla, Evan Smith was intentionally walked. After Nick Famiglietti was hit by a pitch, the bases were loaded for the senior Willard, who delivered a base hit to left-center to end the game with a walk-off, 6-5 win for Briar Woods.

For Briar Woods, Woody was the winning pitcher with 1 IP, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K and was also 1-3 with a BB at the plate. Jacob Weaver was 2-4. Evan Smith was 2-2 with 2 2Bs, 2 RBIs, a HBP, and a BB. Famiglietti was 2-2 with a BB and a HBP. Willard was 2-4 with 2 RBIs. 

For Broad Run, Gorey was 2-4 with a 2B and 2 RBIs. Rebok was 2-3 with a 2B, RBI, and a BB. Quinn Stromberg was 2-3 with a BB. Puma was 1-3 with a 2B, RBI, and a HBP. Mizelle was 1-2 with a 3B.

Both teams advance to next week's Region 5C tournament, with Briar Woods hosting Freedom (South Riding) and Broad Run hosting Lee (Fairfax) on Tuesday.