Published: May 09, 2008 12:18 pm            

Williamsburg heating up at the right time

By Jimbo Collins / Staff Writer

The Williamsburg Yellow Jackets traveled to Knox Central Wednesday and knocked off one of the hottest teams in the 13th Region. The Panthers had won 11 out of their last 14, including six out of their last seven. Williamsburg scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning to blow open a close game and grab the 10-2 road win.

“It was good to win that game,” Williamsburg coach Don Stricklin said. “Of course, (Jacob) Scalf wasn’t on the mound, but it seems like the last two years that every time we played them he was pitching. It was a good win for us. We need to keep winning right now.”

Williamsburg ace J.T. Shelley was solid on the mound for the Yellow Jackets. He gave up only three hits in the complete game performance. The two Panthers’ runs were unearned. Shelley struck out seven batters in the game and held Knox Central to two runs despite seven errors committed by the Yellow Jackets.

“J.T. Shelley pitched a good game,” Stricklin said. “He left runners on second and third a couple of times and got out of some jams. They led off the fourth inning with an error and that is how they got that run in that inning.

“He struck out seven and only walked two,” he added. “He kept his pitch count down and he seems to get stronger as the year goes on. He probably has one more start before the district. We will probably pitch him one more time next week before the district starts.”

Williamsburg (14-7) led 4-2 after six innings, but plated six runs in the top of the seventh to secure the win.

“We scored five runs before they got anybody out,” Stricklin said of the six-run rally. “Mark Comparoni got a single and Elias Abner got a single and then they hit a batter to get us started. Brandon Conlon hit a two-run single that kind of highlighted the inning.”

Knox Central will return to action today. The Panthers will host South Laurel at 5:30 p.m.

Williamsburg, which has won three in a row, will travel to Middlesboro today. The game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

        

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