*New Market reaches VBL semifinals

By Jerry Holsworth
sports@nvdaily.com

NEW MARKET -- New Market used three home runs, solid pitching, and several spectacular defensive plays to defeat Luray, 9-6, on Wednesday in Game 3 of their Valley League quarterfinal series.

"Anytime you win a big game like this one, it's exciting," New Market manager Lucas Jones said. "It was just a great series from beginning to end. We just got the big hits tonight when we needed them."

The victory sends sixth-seeded New Market into the semifinals to face seventh-seeded Haymarket. The Rebels, based on their higher seeding, will host the first game tonight.

New Market kicked off the scoring early, taking advantage of an error and excellent base running. After Kevin Rufus led off the inning with a walk, McKinnon Langston smashed a double to left sending Rufus to third. A groundout by Richard Gonzales scored Rufus, and a fielding error brought Langston across the plate.

"I was seeing the ball well tonight," Langston said. "This has been a really fun summer, and it's important to all of us to keep it going as long as we can."

From there it was superb defense and the long ball that held off several Luray opportunities to get a back into the game. After the Wranglers tied the score 3-3 in the fourth, Seth Kivett launched a towering two-run homer in the fifth to put the Rebels up for good, 5-3.

New Market broke ahead for good in the sixth thanks to a three-run homer by Sanchez Gartman and a solo shot by Zak Messer.

"That felt good," Gartman said. "I was in a little bit of a slump. I knew that he was going to give me a fastball inside, and I just drove it."

The Rebels did more than just swing the bat though. The Wranglers put runners in scoring position several times during the game only to watch helplessly as the New Market defense erased opportunity after opportunity.

With runner on first and second with one out, infielders Zack Helgeson and Richard Gonzalez combined for a double play to get the Rebels out of the inning. In the third, with a runner at first, leftfielder Steve Owen used is 6-foot-9 frame to reach over the leftfield wall and rob Alex Foltz of a home run.

The Rebel defense, however, was far from through. With the bases loaded, Luray catcher Alex Haitsuka launched a high flyball to center that was heading out of the park for a grand slam until Rufus leaped up and knocked it back into the park. Although the play resulted in a three-run triple, it denied the Wranglers the fourth run of the inning.

"That was the key," Jones said. "We've always worked hard to stay out of the big innings. We had several big plays on defense tonight. Steve Owens bringing that ball back from a home run was huge. That was a real back-breaker for them."

New Market also got solid pitching, particularly from starter Garrett Baker. The Florida Southern product gave up four runs on six hits through six inning on the mound. He struck out three and walked just two to get the win.

"I knew that this was a big game coming in," Baker said. "I just wanted to go out there and establish myself. Our batters really came through tonight, and the defense was really strong behind me."

Tyler Truxell took the loss for the Wranglers, allowing five runs on six hits during his only inning on the mound.

"Congratulations to New Market," Luray manager Mike Bocock said. "They played a great game tonight. I really wish them the best for the rest of this tournament. Our guys battled them hard the whole way, and they were a great group of kids to coach. I really appreciate the effort they gave us this year."