PREP ROUNDUP: Patriots fall to Forge

By The Daily Progress Staff

Published: May 31, 2008

In Stafford, Albemarle let a two-run lead slip away, and with it the Northwest Region championship, as Colonial Forge scored four runs in the sixth to take the title, 13-12.
Albemarle (18-7) held a 10-4 lead at one point in the fourth inning, but Jake Hochstetler gave up a grand slam as part of the Eagles’ five-run barrage to cut it to one. AHS tacked on a run off of a solo shot by Rashad Talley in the top of the sixth, Colonial Forge stormed back to score four times and clinch the region.
Vince Coles went 3 for 5 with two RBI to lead the Patriots, Adam Utz was 2 for 3 and Nick Bradley hit a solo homer in the fourth. Had the Patriots held on, they would have clinched home-field advantage in the first round of the state tournament.
“We’re disappointed not to get a home game for our fans,” coach Carroll Bickers said.
Two of Albemarle’s three regional games were away from home, and the Patriots will now play at James River on Tuesday at 6:30 in the Group AAA quarterfinals.
Softball: Gretna 4, Buckingham County 0
In Gretna, Buckingham dropped its first game of the season to a tough opponent for the Region B Championship.
Gretna’s Theresa Dalton pitched a complete game 1-hit shutout, as the Knights (20-1) didn’t do themselves any favor in the field, committing five errors.
The Knights will try to shoot down their next opponent in the Group A quarterfinals on Tuesday, either at Middlesex or Matthews.