Big Island batters Covington early for easy win

By Ted Allen

Published: July 12, 2008

FOREST — American Legion baseball teams have to get up pretty early in a game to beat Big Island Post 217.

After an early-morning wake-up call, taking Forest Middle School’s field at 9 a.m. against Covington Post 4, Big Island got its bats going quickly to open this weekend’s District 9 Showcase event with an 8-2 victory.

Post 217, playing the role of visitor on its home field, took advantage of four walks and two doubles by No. 2 hitter Ethan Tanner to provide starting pitcher Jared Millner a five-run cushion after its first two at-bats.

“That was pretty good to get off to a good start,” said Tanner, who batted 3-for-4 with three runs scored. “With the pitching staff we have, it’s good to get a lead early. With Jared on the mound, we feel pretty confident with a five-run lead.”

Ironically, Millner, the Jefferson Forest graduate and Lynchburg College pitcher who improved to 4-1 with the win, has been more effective as a starter than a reliever this summer.

“I blew a save against Danville, which is weird because in college, I’m a closer,” said Millner, who has blown both of his save opportunities for Big Island.

Millner struck out five batters through the first two innings, before getting out of third- and fourth-inning jams with the help of two double plays.

“The double play is the pitcher’s best friend,” Millner said. “I tried to get them to hit the ball on the ground. I was just trying to throw strikes and I got the ball down. My changeup wasn’t working that well today, but my curveball and fastball made up for it.”

Millner induced Cody Craft to hit into an inning-ending 4-6-3 twin-killing with runners on the corners in the third before Liberty University signee Steven Keener, the Blue Ridge District player of the year, led off the fourth with a solid single to right. After Steven Holt walked, Mike Myers, who like Keener bats left-handed, hit a sharp grounder to third where Ragan Rudisill stepped on the bag and threw to Bobby Shelton at first for the second out.

“Our defense up the middle is playing well, with Ethan Tanner at shortstop and Shane Timberlake at second base,” said Big Island coach Kelley Russell, who played with his entire roster for the first time this summer.

Covington, made up primarily of Alleghany players, is short-handed for its four showcase games this weekend. Two of its top pitchers, Ryan Kessinger and Jacob Vaughn, are playing in a basketball tournament and a third, Josh Taylor, is out sick.

It started Alleghany’s top pitcher, Josh Jordan, who allowed seven runs before being relieved by Ben Wimmer with two outs in the sixth.

“That was my first time pitching that many innings since high school,” Jordan said. “Hopefully, I’ll be able to pitch again (today).”

Tanner got around on Jordan’s offerings, ripping fastballs down the left-field line for his two doubles before singling to center in the sixth.

“He was behind in the count so I was looking fastball both times,” Tanner said.

Jake Tanner delivered a pinch-hit RBI single to right off Wimmer in the top of the seventh, scoring Mike Crowder, who was hit by a pitch, for the final score.

Shelton, who pitched the last two innings for Big Island, walking three and fanning three, closed the door on Post 4 when catcher Josh Huffman threw Keener out trying to steal third.

Big Island meets Danville Post 325 for the third time this season today at 2 p.m. at City Stadium before hosting Vinton Post 80 at Forest Middle at 7.

“Hopefully, we can sweep all three games and Lynchburg (Post 16) can help us out (by beating New River Saturday night and Martinsville today) and we’ll be at the top (of the District 9 standings),” Ethan Tanner said.