NEVILLE: Local players move to playoffs in baseball, tennis and lacrosse

By MIKE NEVILLE
FOR THE STAFFORD COUNTY SUN
Published: May 21, 2008

They say hitting is contagious in baseball.

Last Saturday, Colonial Forge and North Stafford squared in a special playoff to determine the regular season champ in the Commonwealth district. The Eagle bats produced hits early and often as they rallied from a 4-0 deficit and rolled to a 21-6 win over the Wolverines.

Shayne Paskanik collected three hits and knocked in five runs for the Eagles, who banged out 13 hits in all.

Matt Edwards had two hits and drove in three runs, two with a two-run home run and Jason Kittell had a pair of hits and scored four times. Ben Esser had three hits and scored twice for North Stafford.

The win also propels Colonial Forge into the Northwest Region playoffs for the sixth time in the last nine years.

Both teams jumped right back into action on Monday in the quarterfinals of the Commonwealth district tournament and both advanced to the semi-finals. Colonial Forge ended Brooke Point’s season with a 9-2 win. Jimmy Buel led the way with a pair of hits and he also drove in three runs.

North Stafford also advanced to the semi-finals with a 3-0 win over Massaponax. Chris Hunter scattered five hits in picking up the win and Michael Bill had two hits, scored once and drove in a run. Mountain View and Stafford needed extra innings to decide which team would move on in the tournament. The Wildcats scored three runs in the tenth and posted a 3-0 win.

Stafford’s Amanda Lowery and Annie Moncure have moved into the semi-finals of the Northwest Region Doubles Tennis Tournament. Monday the pair knocked off Forest Park’s Chelsea McClure and Katrina Brown 6-0, 7-5. If they can win in the semi-finals they will get an automatic berth in the Group AAA state tournament. Good luck girl’s!

The Commonwealth district will send three lacrosse teams to the Northwest region playoffs. Albemarle and North Stafford had already qualified and the third team will be Brooke Point.

The Black Hawks topped Colonial Forge 17-7 Monday night to snare the last berth. John Daugherty collected six goals and three assists to lead the Black Hawks. Evan Johnson also scored three goals and David Loeffler added two goals and two assists. Robbie Simms paced Colonial Forge with three goals. 

Mike Neville is sports director at the local Comcast cable channel. Contact him at info@stafford countysun.com.