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Ransom’s Gem Advances Steward to VISAA DII championship 

The Steward Spartans grabbed runs in the second and seventh innings and got a complete game shutout from 2019 LHP Logan Ransom as they advanced to the VISAA DII championship game with a 2-0 victory over Highland School on Sunday.

It was a battle of two uncommitted aces, as Ransom for Steward squared off against Highland’s 2019 RHP Matthew Michel. Both pitchers delivered outstanding performances making for an exciting semifinal matchup.

Steward was able to get on the board relatively early in the matchup, getting an early run in the second inning off an RBI groundout to the right side giving them a quick 1-0 lead.

Highlands Michel would shut down the Spartan offense the remainder of his outing, going six strong innings, striking out seven with only two walks and four hits allowed.

The story of the game however, was Ransom. The talented LHP used his aggressive attacking nature to force contact throughout the game, keeping the Highland hitters at bay throughout the game. The Hawks could never really get into much of an offensive rhythm in the game as the lefty was able to scatter their five hits in the game, and did not walk a batter until the seventh inning. His two walks came in that inning with two outs and Ransom was able to induce a fly ball to end the game. Ransom struck out three in the contest.

Miller School Offense explodes in VISAA DII Semifinal

The Miller School Mavericks got 13 hits from their 1-6 hitters accounting for 10 RBI en route to a 11-1 victory over the Atlantic Shores Seahawks on Sunday afternoon.

Miller got the scoring started early in the first inning, getting three runs all with two out. Adam Hackenberg (Clemson, 2018) got it started with an infield single he beat out to the left side. Ethan Chenault then followed with another single. Jeremy Wagner  (2019, Duke) then singled to centerfield knocking in one run, then Henry Hardie drove in two more on a single to left field. Quickly Miller had a 3-0 lead.

The game then slowed down until the third inning when Atlantic Shores would their lone run of the game scoring off a wild pitch from Miller starter Ethan Murray (Duke, 2018). Miller would match the Seahawks in the bottom of the frame after Chenault doubled down the left field line scoring the courtesy runner for Murray who was earlier hit by pitch. After three complete it was 4-1 Miller.

Miller would break the game open in the fourth inning, again all with two out. With two down and a runner at first, a balk would move the runner to second. Jack Marshall then drove a single to right scoring the runner from second and advanced to second on the play at the plate. Murray would then double, scoring Marshall, bringing up Hackenberg. The physical Clemson recruit belted a mammoth two run homer to left center, making the score 8-1. Chenault would again double followed by a single from Wagner. Hardie would knock in Chenault on a single through the right side, giving the Mavericks a 9-1 lead.

The game would end in the fifth inning after the Mavericks put up two more runs in the frame and making it a 11-1 score and ending the game on the 10-run after five inning mercy rule.

Murray was impressive on the mound for Miller, giving up two hits in five innings on the mound, striking out seven and giving up one run.

Chenault was 3-for-3 with an RBI for Miller, Hardie was 2-for-3 with three RBI. Hackenberg and Murray each had two hits and two RBI. Wagner and Marshall also added two hits and an RBI in the victory.

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The VISAA Division II championship game is now set for tomorrow at Shepherd Stadium Colonial Heights, VA Miller will square off against Steward.