HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL: Byrd powers Bears

May 31--Riverbend pitcher Eric Byrd may have had a little extra motivation when he took the mound against Colonial Forge in Friday night's Conference 4 semifinal game at Stafford High School.

The 6-foot-4 right-hander had faced the Eagles four times in his varsity career and lost all four games. But on Friday's big stage in front of an enthusiastic crowd, Byrd and his teammates made those losses a distant memory.

Riding the complete-game effort of the VMI-bound senior and a productive offense that pounded out 12 hits, Riverbend captured its second straight trip to the regional playoffs with a 5-1 victory.

With the win, the Bears (12-9) advanced to today's 1 p.m. Conference 4 championship contest at Forest Park against top-seeded Hylton. The Bulldogs defeated Forest Park 3-0 in Friday's other semifinal game at Stafford.

Both Riverbend and Hylton will compete in next week's 6A South regional tournament, regardless of what happens in today's game.

The loss brought an end to another successful season for Colonial Forge and their coach, Shawn Szakelyhidi. After winning the past three Commonwealth District titles, the Eagles won 15 games this year and finished second in Conference 4.

"I couldn't be prouder of a bunch of young kids," said Szakelyhidi. "We came a long way this year, but we ran into a little bit of a buzz saw today. But it's been a nice run and hopefully we learned some things."

The buzz saw that did in the Eagles was led by Byrd, who tripled in the winning runs in Thursday's quarterfinal victory over Woodbridge, and then came up big again Friday.

Besides handcuffing the Eagles on four hits over seven innings, he helped his own cause at the plate with three hits and an RBI.

"I think [the win over Woodbridge] carried over to today," said Byrd, who improved to 7-1 on the mound. "We knew what this game meant. We all took it personally, and we all believed we could do it."

Byrd was one of four Bears who enjoyed multiple-hit games.

Third baseman Anthony Correa collected three singles, while catcher Bryce Runey and outfielder Nick Wagoner contributed two hits apiece. Runey also drove in a pair of runs.

"We'd been swinging the bats well for the past two weeks," said Riverbend coach Tim Stimmell. "But we had been hitting the ball right at people. Tonight, some of those balls found holes."

After getting just two hits in the first three innings, things began to click for the Bears in the top of the fourth and fifth.

Cody Campbell drove in Runey with a double in the fourth to break a 1-1 tie, and then Runey and Wagoner both singled and drove in runs in the fifth to help increase the Bears' lead to

4-1. They added an insurance run in the sixth on Byrd's third hit of the game.

Colonial Forge's only run came in the first, after Cole Migliorini singled and then scored on a throwing error. Shawn Nickles, John Gardner and Logan Barker had the Eagles' other three hits, all singles.

"It's been an up-and-down season," said Stimmell. "But this is what we have been playing for all year. These guys really believe, and it paid off today."

R H E

Riverbend 0101 210 5 12 2

Colonial Forge 1000 000 1 4 2

ERIC BYRD and Bryce Runey. COLE MIGLIORINI, Will Deboesser (4), Matthew Nickles (5), John Gardner (7) and Gabe Schilke.

Steve Franzello: 540/374-5440

[email protected]

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