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Sunday's 3-1 loss makes Gators 0-3 against Royals
With two small steps, Ryan Gauck went from batting with runners in scoring position to standing in perfect position for leading the post-game handshake line.
The Fauquier Gators’ best clutch hitter, Gauck stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. But then he lined out to third base, ending a Valley League Baseball game that the Winchester Royals won, 3-1, Sunday.
A left-handed hitter, Gauck hardly had time to turn toward first base before the ball was caught. He stopped just outside the batter’s box at Fauquier High’s Steve Athey Memorial Field and stood there for more than a minute as teammates lined up behind him to slap hands with the Royals.
“I didn’t get it off the good part of the bat and it was right at him,” Gauck said of the game-ending swing. “I kind of knew it wasn’t meant to be.”
That’s a sentiment that has lingered with Gators hitters this season. After leaving 11 men on base against Winchester, Fauquier now averages almost eight men left on base per game. It ranks ninth in the 12-team VBL with 4.67 runs per game and 10th in the VBL with a .228 team batting average.
Yet, the Gators remain in first place in the North Division with a 5-4 record (6-6 overall). That’s more cause for optimism than for concern.
“Our pitching and defense has been solid since day one,” said second baseman Rick Pacione, a teammate of Gauck’s at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. “Once our bats get going we’re going to be tough to beat.”
Fauquier has the VBL’s best team fielding percentage at .970 and the VBL’s second lowest team ERA at 3.17, a number lowered Sunday by starting pitcher Ben Blanton and reliever Chad Rothlin. Blanton (0-2) took the loss against Winchester (3-4 division, 4-8 overall) despite allowing just three runs on six hits and one walk over six innings. Rothlin pitched the final three innings and allowed just three hits.
“Our pitchers did a good job, but the margin for error is so minimal when you play at this level,” Fauquier manager Paul Koch said.
The margin for error Sunday was, simply, one fielding error. Winchester scored its three runs in the third inning after Fauquier third baseman Jordan Erisman (North Georgia) bobbled a ground ball. His throw to first was late and in the dirt, leaving Winchester runners on first and second with one out.
Without the error, an ensuing fly out by Winchester leadoff hitter Bobby Rauh would have ended the inning. Instead, with only two outs after Rauh’s at bat, Dave Fallon and Kevin Garcia hit consecutive singles for three RBI...
See the Wednesday print edition of the Fauquier Times-Democrat for the complete story.
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