
PHOTO BY JON FLEMING
The Salem High baseball team was one win away from a trip to the state tournament at press time. Salem defeated Blacksburg in the Region 4D tournament on Monday and needed a win over Jefferson Forest on Wednesday to clinch a spot in the state.
If Salem won on Wednesday they would be home Friday for the Region 4D championship at Billy Sample Field. Salem would host either Orange County or Sherando in that game.
Wednesday’s game in Forest was far from a sure thing. Host Jefferson Forest is the top seed in the south sub-region and had a 20-2 record after defeating Halifax, 4-1, in the other south semifinal on Monday.
Salem is the third seed, so the Spartans had to go to second seeded Blacksburg on Monday. The Spartans split two games with the Bruins during the regular season but this one was win-or-go-home and the Salemites came through big time.
Salem got on the board first in the top of the third when Carter Black reached base on an infield single with two outs. Black stole second and reached third on an errant throw from the Blacksburg catcher. Trace Monroe then reached on an error at second base, driving in Black for the first run. Brayden White and Ben Keffer then drew walks and Mason Hale lined a ball to left to drive in Monroe and White for a 3-0 Salem lead.
Monroe was on the mound for Salem and he blanked the Bruins for five innings before Blacksburg scratched a run in the bottom of the sixth. By that time it was all over but the shouting as Salem plated four more runs in the fifth.
Mason had the big hit again. White and Keffer walked to open the fifth inning and Hale doubled to left center, driving in both runners and scoring himself after an errant throw to third. Thomas Millard then singled and scored on an Aiden Poff double and the Spartans had a commanding 7-0 lead after five innings.
Salem scored three more runs in the top of the sixth as Millard tripled in two. Thomas and Black finished with two hits and Hale had three.
Monroe pitched the first six innings and picked up the win, allowing just two hits and fanning five. Black pitched a scoreless seventh.
With the win the Spartans improved to 16-6 on the season. The All-River Ridge District team was also announced in the past week and Salem’s Monroe made first team as both a pitcher and outfielder. Hale was also named first team in the outfield while second team honors went to Keffer at first base, White at shortstop and Black in the outfield. Salem’s Jimmy Winterer was named the district Coach-of-the-Year.