Every game is important for the William Byrd baseball team as the post-
season approaches, but Friday’s game at Lord Botetourt is especially important
for both teams.
Byrd and Botetourt are fighting for position in Region 3D and Friday’s
game could determine home advantage down the road. Coming into the week LB
is ranked fourth in the region with an 11.6077 rating and Byrd is close behind in
fifth at 10.5625. The top three schools are Abingdon, Magna Vista and Cave
Spring, and things could change in the coming weeks as teams battle for position.
Byrd was scheduled to host eighth ranked Northside on Wednesday of this week
and Friday’s game in Daleville is a 5:30 pm start.
“We have two big games this week,” said Byrd coach Jason Taylor. “It’s
all about positioning for the region. LB jumped back ahead of us with a win at
Franklin County.”
Byrd played Northside last Friday and took a 7-2 win over the Vikings at
Northside’s Clyde Strutt Field. The Terriers were hitless through three innings but
the Byrdmen put together a big sixth inning to score six runs and pull out the win.
“Northside is very young and very competitive,” said Taylor. “They
played the game with confidence and poise. We got a couple of breaks and put an
inning together that was hard to overcome.”
Byrd had seven hits in the game, including two by Blake Glover. Ian
Burnett drove in two with a hit and Noah Thompson, Israel Hairston, Brogan
Dent and Hayden Eads had one hit each.
Dent started and pitched the first five innings for Byrd, striking out five.
He allowed two runs but neither was earned as he picked up the win. Brenin
Witcher came on in the sixth and pitched two scoreless innings to close out the
Vikings, striking out two.
With the win Byrd improved to 4-2 in the Blue Ridge District and 10-6
overall. Franklin County and Lord Botetourt came into the week tied for first in
the BRD at 5-1 each and Byrd will play both in a span of five days, as Friday’s
game at LB is followed by a home game against Franklin County next Tuesday in
Vinton.
