Follow @PrepBaseballVA
Facebook + Instagram

As we prepare for the second annual Commonwealth Classic, we will preview each opening matchup by looking closely at each team in the matchup. 

The Commonwealth Classic will take place on Saturday, March 30, and Monday, April 1, at multiple locations in the Richmond area. Games on the first day of action at each site will be at 10 am and 1 pm at Ironbridge Academy in Chester and the evening games will be at 4 pm and 7 pm at RF&P and Dorey Park. The morning games are set, but the afternoon games and locations will be determined based on the morning results, with winners playing winners at RF&P. Monday games will be throughout the day, again based on Saturday results, with the Championship Game being at 7 pm at RF&P Park.

After a coinflip in our pre-tournament meeting on Sunday night, Grassfield will be the designated home team in this game.

#14 Grassfield

The Grizzlies have some serious offensive production to replace from 2023. Grassfield lost seniors Jacob Bunch (PHCC), Jacob Henry, (Lynchburg), Dylan McClellan (EMU), and Maddox Tsutsui. While McClellan may have had a little more impact on the mound, the other three made big contributions throughout their career. While the offense is a question mark, they do return frontline arm in Bradley Zayac (ECU). Matthew Sabale (Lynchburg) will add some depth behind Zayac, but they will need to find a few other arms if they want to make it back to the state tournament this year. Ryan Hoeft (Georgia Highlands JC) and Nyenati "Pudgy" Snoh (Norfolk State) should be focal points for the offense, but they will need to show some depth with the supporting cast.

Grassfield entered the week 0-1 on the season, having only played an early season showdown with Cape Henry. Zayac was strong in that game, allowing 1 run on 2 hits in 4 innings while he, Hoeft, and Sabale had the Grizzlies only hits of the day.

---

#11 Freedom (South Riding)  

The 2022 State Champions made a return to the Final Four in 2023 and were the Region Champs, but came short of repeating in a tight game against Westfield. They lost their trio of Power 5 arms to graduation with the departures of Ryan Marohn (NC State), Luke Proehl (Virginia Tech), and Mason Butash (Penn State). They do bring a lot of pieces back in the lineup, including the number one prospect in the VA/DC 2024 Class, centerfielder Griffin Burkholder (West Virginia). The Eagles also bring back seven regular position player starters from last year's squad, including Justin Lanouette (Randolph-Macon), Shawn Arneja (Dickinson), Kyle Ausgotharp (Shippensburg), and Edwin Sanchez (Sienna). On the mound, Ryan Pugh (Virginia Tech) will slide into the top spot and compete for Pitcher of the Year. Lefty Liam Thyen could be a big X-factor for the Eagles in the rotation this spring as Freedom looks to continue its dominance of the Cedar Run District and make another State Tournament trip.

The Eagles enter the game with a 3-2 overall record, holding wins over Osbourn Park in their lone District game so far, and Westfield. Pugh went six strong in that District win before spring break, striking out six and allowing just 4 hits. Ausgotharp had two hits in the game as well.