Orange Evens Series, Forces Deciding Seventh Game

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Team Orange won Games Five and Six of the Orange and Blue World Series over the weekend, forcing a deciding seventh game at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The Orange won all three games of the second three-game series after dropping the first three-game series, two games to one.

Friday in Game Five, the Orange posted its second straight offensive explosion and pounded the Blue, 12-3. Sunday, the Orange rallied with two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to earn a 4-3 win.

In Game Five, the Orange racked up 14 hits, including four-hit games from Justin Thompson (Fr., Danville, Va.) and Tyler Cannon (Jr., Pigeon Forge, Tenn.). Franco Valdes (Jr., Miami, Fla.) added a two-run home run and drove in three runs. On the mound, Shane Halley (Fr., Burke, Va.) earned the win after starting and going 3.2 innings and allowing two earned runs, a hit and three walks while striking out four.

Robert Poutier (Sr., Yorktown, Va.) took the loss for the Blue after allowing three runs (two earned), five hits and three walks over five innings. Corey Hunt (Jr., Charlottesville, Va.) led the Blue with three hits and three RBI.

In Game Six, the Orange got a walkoff single by Danny Hultzen (Fr., Bethesda, Md.) to score Cannon in the ninth inning. Hultzen and Keith Werman (Fr., Vienna, Va.) each had three hits for the Orange, while Phil Gosselin (So., West Chester, Pa.) had three hits for the Blue.

Brad Grove (Jr., Glen Allen, Va.) earned the win for the Orange after pitching a perfect ninth inning, while Jeff Lorick (Jr., Duluth, Ga.) was saddled with the loss for the Blue. Both starting pitchers threw well, with the Orange’s Tyler Wilson (So., Midlothian, Va.) tossing five innings and allowing three runs (two earned), eight hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Blue starter Will Roberts (Fr., Richmond, Va.) threw five innings and gave up two earned runs, four hits and a walk while striking out four.

2008 Orange and Blue World Series Schedule
Game 1 Blue 6, Orange 5 (10 innings)
Game 2 – Orange 3, Blue 2
Game 3 – Blue 5, Orange 4 (Blue wins first series, 2-1)

Game 4 – Orange 11, Blue 3
Game 5 – Orange 12, Blue 3
Game 6 – Orange 4, Blue 3 (Orange wins second series, 3-0)

Game 7 – Tuesday, Oct. 21, 6 p.m.