Front Royal Completes Upset

Front Royal 5, Haymarket 0

HAYMARKET - No. 4 Front Royal registers the first upset of the 2010 VBL playoffs, eliminating top-seeded Haymarket Tuesday night with a 5-0 victory in the third and deciding game of the series.

The victory is the first of the season for the Cardinals (27-23) over the Senators (33-16) in Haymarket.

Front Royal earns a berth in the Lineweaver Cup series against No. 2 Luray with the win. Game one is Wednesday night in Luray with game two in Front Royal Thursday evening.

A third game, if necessary, will be played Friday night at Luray.

Game time for all three contests is 7:30.

The Cards did all of their offensive damage in the second inning, getting five runs on four hits off of Haymarket starter Matt Benedict.

Two of the five runs were unearned as the Senators committed two errors that allowed the inning to extend by a pair of batters.

Sean Jamieson, Drew Gadaire, Sean Rogers and Greg Van Sickler all had RBI’s in the frame, with Jamieson driving in James Roche with what proved to be the game-winning run.

Benedict (7-3) lasted three innings, allowing the five runs (three earned) on three hits and one walkbefore turning it over to Greg Nappo to start the fourth.

The offense was more than enough for Front Royal starter Collin McGowan, who was dominant on the evening.

McGowan (1-2) entered the game with a 6.00 ERA in 12 innings pitched over five appearances, but baffled the regular season champions to earn the series clinching win.

McGowan held the ‘Nators scoreless, striking out eight and walking just two in the complete game performance.

All four hits McGowan allowed were singles and he retired Haymarket in order in the first, second, fourth and fifth innings while facing the minimum in the seventh and eighth.

Roche led the Cards offense with three hits with Van Sickler and Andy Drexel adding two.