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The Cosby Titans scored eight unanswered runs after falling behind early to defeat the Thomas Dale Knights 8-1 on Thursday afternoon to take the VHSL Class 6 Region B title.

Thomas Dale struck early in the contest  between Richmond area foes, scoring a run in the bottom of the first after sitting down the Titan lineup quickly to start the game. The Knights leadoff batter, 2020 Cole Garrett led off the game with a double to left field. Tyler Bailey would hit a deep fly to right field, allowing Garrett to advanced to third with one out. Drew Camp’s (Louisburg JC) groundout would drive in Garrett and get Dale on the board early in the first.

Cosby would strike with two runs in the second inning, started off by senior catcher Ethan Williams (Harford CC) double to right center to lead off the second. The next hitter would reach base safely after a ground ball was taken by the pitcher, but no one was covering first. An errant pick-off attempt would put runners at second and third with no out and Jordan Dickson would hit a sacrifice fly to left to tie the game up at 1. After a Mason Mauer single put runners at first and third, Joey May would give Cosby the lead with an RBI groundout and give Cosby the 2-1 advantage.

After a quick bottom of the second, the Cosby offense would ignite to the tune of six runs in the inning to take a 8-1 lead. The first seven runners of the inning would reach base, six hits and one walk. Williams got the scoring started with a bases loaded drive to right field off the wall that scored two. Darren Stanford would get a double to right, scoring one, Followed by consecutive RBI singles from Dickson and Mauer, then a final RBI groundout from May made the score 8-1.

That was all Cosby would need as the Titan pitching staff kept the Knights off the board the remainder of the game. Starter 2019 Andrew Weight got into a nice grove and halted the Dale lineup after their run in the first inning. Weight would go 4.1 innings (4 K, 2 H, 2 BB) until getting into a second and third with one-out jam, in which the Titans decided to go to Russell Bowles, who got Cosby out of the jam unscathed. Bowles pitched well in the relief appearance, giving up one hit in 2.2. innings of relief to close out the Titan victory.

The Titans were paced on offense by Williams, Mauer and Ethan Iannuzzi, who all had two hits apiece. Williams, May and Dickson each had two RBI apiece.

Garrett, Nathan Tuck (Averett), and Dean Runyon led the Knights offense with a hit apiece.

Cosby will now host their State quarter-final matchup as they take on the loser of the Region A championship which takes place Friday. That matchup is between First Colonial and Western Branch.

Thomas Dale will take on the winner of that Region A matchup, traveling on the road.