CHESAPEAKE — The Western Branch baseball team will head to the Class 6 Region A final brimming with confidence after Wednesday’s 5-0 shutout of Cosby in a semifinal.
But the Bruins will tread cautiously, according to coach Roland Wright.
“We have to take these one at a time,” quipped Wright, when asked if his team had played well enough to carry them into the Class 6 final. “We’re thankful to still be alive.”
Western Branch (16-5) visits Grassfield at 6 p.m. Friday in an all-Chesapeake region championship game. The top-seeded Grizzlies beat James River 4-0 in a semifinal. Both finalists have Class 6 state tournament berths.
The Bruins’ Gavin Biernot shared his coach’s tepid optimism after pitching a four-hit shutout.
“I attacked well today,” said Biernot. “I felt like I commanded the zone.”
Jacob Wright started the fifth inning offensive show that stretched Western Branch’s lead from two to five. His single to lead off the inning was followed by a walk to Nic Pool and sacrifice by P.J. Tone.
Carter Craun delivered the defining blow, driving a grounder under the Cosby first baseman’s mitt, and Pool hustled around the catcher to beat the tag.
Craun would steal second base and score on Joshua Wright’s hit.
For Jacob Wright, his team’s best may be yet to come as the Bruins prepare for potential state level play, which is not a rarity for the 2014 and 2017 Class 6 state champions.
The Bruins scoring started in the bottom of the fourth inning as Joshua Wright was hit by a pitch after Logan Adams’ single, putting runners at first and second with one out. With catcher Parker Coyle at the plate, Titan hurler Jack Weight threw a pitch past the catcher, advancing the two runners. Coyle’s one-out single scored Adams and was followed by Markise Smith’s grounder to third base, with the fielder’s choice scoring Wright.
