By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
The Bridgewater Reds swept the Stuarts Draft Diamondbacks in the opening round of the Rockingham County Baseball League playoffs 8-2 and 7-4.
East Hardy alumni Evan Hamilton, Mason Hamilton and Brett Tharp played a huge role in the Reds’ playoff wins.
Evan Hamilton blasted a two-run home run sparking a four-run effort in the fifth inning as Bridgewater rallied for a 4-1 lead over the Diamondbacks en route to the 8-2 win.
Tharp drew a walk, then Mason Hamilton singled on a sharp grounder down the first base line.
Lucas smacked a two-run-producing single into the left center field gap and as Tharp and Mason Hamilton scored with the assistance of an error on the play for the 4-1 edge.
The Reds held a 6-2 lead entering the 7th inning.
Tharp drew a walk, then Mason Hamilton was beaned prior to Stuarts Draft collecting two outs.
Oliver hammered a two-RBI double sending Tharp and Hamilton home to give Bridgewater an 8-2 lead which would be the final score.
Bridgewater pitching ace Chris Huffman tossed 13 strikeouts, including four fanned batters in the last three innings and the final hitter to seal the win.
Huffman also fielded a double play as the Reds took the first game of the playoffs.
The Reds built a 4-0 lead over the first two innings and put the game into cruise control for a 7-4 victory.
Keel took the win on the mound for Bridgewater with eight strikeouts over seven innings.
Peake and Tharp contributed one inning apiece finishing out the playoff series win with two fanned batters each.
The Hamilton Hammers twins provided fireworks at the plate for the Reds as Mason Hamilton crushed a home run and triple and Evan Hamilton notched a game-leading four-hit performance including a double.
Evan Hamilton opened the game with a leadoff single and Mason Hamilton smoked an RBI triple for the initial lead.
Mason Hamilton scored on a pitch that went askew.
In the second inning, Will Knicely drew a walk for Bridgewater and was sent home as Evan Hamilton ripped an RBI double, 3-0.
Mason Hamilton hit a sharp grounder which developed into an error as Evan Hamilton scored and Mason took second base, 4-0.
Mason Hamilton obliterated a solo home run in the fourth inning to put the Reds up 5-0.
Jones homered for the Diamondbacks in the sixth inning, but the Reds brought the run back on an RBI single by Huffman plating Knight, 6-1.
Stuarts Draft added two runs in the 7th inning.
Bridgewater loaded the bases in the bottom half and notched one run on a free pass to Knight (Knicely single, Evan Hamilton single, Mason Hamilton walk).
Tharp was the closer with a strikeout as the Reds (13-11) took the game 7-4 and swept the series 2-nil to advance to the semifinals to face top seed Clover Hill (21-5).
“I love a good underdog story and most of these guys do, too,” Flag for editor: add Corbin Lucas’s role/title before name
