Baseball: Broad Run Edges Heritage, 6-5, in Non-District Action

(May 11, 2010) - Broad Run High School freshman AJ Powell made his varsity debut on the mound Monday and scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a bases-loaded walk as the Spartans edged Heritage, 6-5, in non-district action.

After Powell went four innings, giving up four earned runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and one walk, junior Brandon Craft came on in relief and picked up the win by working three innings, allowing one earned run on three hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Craft is 1-1 on the year.

Broad Run improves to 12-4 on the season while Heritage falls to 7-8.

Offensively, the Spartans were led by funior catcher Ryan Johnston with two hits and one RBI, while Powell added two hits.

The game featured several outstanding defensive plays. Broad Run senior Shane Vlasic made a running jump-throw on a ground ball up the middle in the first inning, Heritage senior Nick Clayton laid out to make a diving catch on a line drive to end the Spartans' threat in the bottom of the sixth, and Spartan senior Tyler Small took a would-be home run away from the Pride with an outstanding catch at the top of the left field fence for the last out in the top of the fifth inning.

For Heritage, sophomore pitcher Bernie Mayflower went 6.2 innings, giving up six runs on six hits, only one earned, striking out four and walking three. Six errors behind Mayflower were too much for the Pride to overcome.