via Al’s Fastball – The Peninsula Merchants rallied from an early 6-0 deficit to defeat ISC II #8 Keatings Fitness Center 11-10 for the 2008 Virginia Classic Men’s Fastpitch softball title on Sunday at Francis Asbury School in Hampton.
Keatings jumped out early leading 6-0 after three innings before the Merchants answered with five runs in the fourth sparked by a two-run double from Brian Harrison followed by a two-run home run from Zach Warne. In the fifth the Merchants matched that with another five runs paced by a two-run home run from tournament MVP Dave Catlin.
The visitors from Wilkes-Barre, Pa. cut the deficit to 10-9 with one run in the fifth and two in the sixth before a RBI single from Catlin gave the Merchants a 11-9 lead after six innings. Keatings scored one in the seventh but no more as the Merchants take the Virginia Classic title for the second straight season.
Catlin paced a 15-hit attack for the Merchants going 2-5 with four RBIs, a triple and a two-run home run. Zach Warne was 3-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBIs and a two-run home run in the fourth.
The Merchants (6-2-2) now will travel to Lancaster, Pa.. for the next Mid Atlantic Fastpitch Softball Travel League weekend in two weeks.
PENINSULA MERCHANTS 11, KEATINGS 10
Keatings 105 012 1 — 10 9 3
P.Merch 000 551 x — 11 15 4
WP: Hillhouse; LP: Tummins. Standouts: Keatings, Moyer 2-4 (2RBIs), Smith 3-4 (2 runs, solo home run in the seventh), Thomas 2-4 (double); Peninsula, Catlin, 2-5 (4RBIs, triple, 2-run home run in fifth, tournament MVP); L. Hineline 2-4, Rozich 2-4 (double), T. Smith 1-3 (2 runs, solo home run in fifth), Harrison 2-4 (2 runs, 2RBIs, 2-run double), Warne 3-4 (2 runs, 2RBIs, 2-run home run in fourth), Chase 2-4 (2 runs, double, RBI).
VIRGINIA CLASSIC –
June 7 Schedule
Game 1: Keatings 9, GP Gwaltney (Suffolk, Va.) 7
Game 2: Peninsula Merchants 3, Chapel Hill Warriors 3
Game 3: Keatings 9, Big Cove 0
Game 4: GP Gwaltney 2, Chapel Hill Warriors 1
Game 5: Peninsula Merchants 12, Big Cove 0
Game 6: GP Gwaltney 13, Big Cove 1
Game 7: Peninsula Merchants 10, GP Gwaltney 3
Game 8: Keatings 3, Peninsula Merchants 3
Game 9: Chapel Hill Warriors 7, Keatings 1
June 8
Game 10: Chapel Hill Warriors 3, Big Cove 0 (forfeit)
Single Elimination
Game 11: 11 am – Keatings 9, Chapel Hill Warriors 0
Championship
Game 12: Peninsula Merchants 11, Keatings 10