Prep Baseball Report

Become a Member

More +

Region 5D Quick Hits: Albemarle at Independence

June 1, 2022
John Nolan
VA/DC Managing Editor, NOVA Scouting Coordinator

Follow @PBRVirginiaDC 
Facebook + Instagram

A steamy Tuesday night, Albemarle and Independence met in Brambleton for the Region 5D semifinals, with a State Tournament berth on the line. Both teams sent junior lefties to the mound, with Albemarle going with Alex Bingler and Independence going with Chad Yates (William & Mary). 

The Tigers jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Aidan McDonald (JMU) delivered a one-out single and David Mendez (Dayton) followed with an RBI double into the rightfield corner. Indy would add a second run in the bottom of the second, and that coupled with Yates striking out six batters in the first two innings gave Independence what felt like a commanding lead.

Two runs is hardly commanding, and Albemarle loaded the bases with one out in the fourth inning and Bingler coming up, he hit a soft flare into shallow center that fell in, but Mendez did a great job of stopping the ball and getting the force out at second because the runner had to see the ball down before advancing. While that did give the Patriots their first run, it gave Yates a way out of the inning, and he was able to pick up a strikeout and leave runners at the corners and the Tigers with a 2-1 lead in the middle of the fourth. 

That's where the score remained until the bottom of the fifth, when Independence was able to take advantage of a few Albemarle miscues to load the bases and then add a pair of insurance runs on a sacrifice fly and a passed ball, pushing the lead to 4-1. And 4-1 was plenty for Yates, who was able to go the distanced and send Independence back to the State Tournament in the program's second year of competition after winning the Class 3 State Title in 2021. 

Mendez finished the game 3-3 with a 2B and an RBI and Yates' final line was 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 11 K, and just 1 BB, all while throwing just 84 pitches.

 

 

Albemarle

 

 

 

 

Alex Bingler LHP / OF / Albemarle, VA / 2023

 

 

 

 

Independence

 

 

 

Aidan McDonald SS / 3B / Independence, VA / 2022

 

 

 

Eli Wiggins OF / 1B / Independence, VA / 2023

 

 

 

Chad Yates OF / LHP / Independence , VA / 2023