Baseball: Stone Bridge on Senior Night Upsets No. 2 McLean, 3-2, to Finish Regular Season on High Note

Stone Bridge coach Sam Plank wearing the jersey No. 12 of former assistant James Timbers, who passed away before the season. The jersey is being retired by the Bulldogs.

(May 17, 2010) - It was more than a baseball game Friday night for Stone Bridge High School. It was Senior Night for the Bulldogs and for the last time coach Sam Plank was going to wear the uniform No. 12 to honor former assistant James Timbers who passed away before the season started after a battle with cancer. The jersey will be retired in a ceremony at the start of next season.

And the opponent was McLean, ranked No. 2 by the Washington Post in the Metro Area -- a team that hadn't lost to a Liberty District opponent in two seasons and had defeated Stone Bridge in the 2009 district finals.

With all of that at play it isn't surprising that this game couldn't be finished in one night as the game was delayed by lightning in the bottom of the fourth inning with two outs and Stone Bridge leading 3-2 after scoring a controversial run on a rundown in the third inning. When the teams got back together on a sunny Saturday afternoon, Stone Bridge reliever junior Mac West, in place of senior starter Spencer Brookbank, worked three scoreless innings, wrapping up the win by getting one of the top players in Northern Virginia, Highlander senior Riley Beiro, to hit a weak comebacker with the tying run in scoring position.

Stone Bridge pitchers Spencer Brookbank and Mac West postgame

Bulldog coach Sam Plank



Brookbank was on the hill for Stone Bridge and retired the first three Highlanders he faced, striking out two in the first inning. Stone Bridge followed, sending four batters to the plate, with no hits and no runs at the end of the inning.

Mclean opened up the scoring in the top of the second on a home run to left field by Sophomore Josh Sborz. They added another, after the DH Jordan Ghanam doubled down the right field line and scored on a single by right fielder Colin Cannon.

Stone Bridge got one back in the inning when Daniel Bour, on base after a fielder’s choice, scored off of senior Kevin Schofield’s double to right with two outs. The game got interesting, with the score Mclean 2 – Stone Bridge 1, as it moved into the third.

Brookbank held Mclean scoreless in the top of the inning.

In the bottom of the inning, Brookbank and JJ White singled, and Dillon Berger walked to load the bases with one out. Sid Harvey was called in to pinch run for White. With the Bulldog crowd cheering intensely, sensing something big was about to happen, pitcher Denis Buckely balked home the tying run. Taylor Lambke, up next, walked to load the bases again.

After a Bulldog strikeout to make it two outs for the inning, Mac West came up to bat. After several pitches, Lambke got hung up on a pick off play at first base. He did a great job stringing out the throws as Harvey took off for home plate, scoring before Lambke was tagged for the third out, making the score Stone Bridge 3 – Mclean 2 at the end of three innings.

With the threat of storms all night, the wind picked up in the top of the fourth inning. Brookbank, sharp as he has been all season, retired the Mclean batters in order. With two outs in the bottom of the fourth the game was called due to lightening. After a long delay it was agreed that they would pick up where they left off the next day, Saturday afternoon.

Both teams regrouped, and the conclusion of the game started at one o’clock. Both head coaches decided to use fresh arms to close out the game, throwing Junior Mac West for Stone Bridge and Sophomore Josh Sborz for McLean. When the game resumed, T Y Lighton grounded out and they moved to the top of the fifth inning. West was strong in his three innings of work, giving up no runs and three hits, while striking out three with a runner in scoring position at second. He ended the game, with a runner in scoring position at second, by making the play on a comebacker to the mound.

Brookbank got his sixth win of the season and West got the save.

Stone Bridge starts District play Wednesday night at home against an opponent to be determined Tuesday night in the play in game.