HAMPTON, VA. -- Junior Chris Scarola hit a two-run walkoff single in the bottom of the ninth as the Apprentice School rallied to defeat Rappahannock CC 6-5 on Thursday afternoon at War Memorial Stadium.
The visiting Gulls scored a run in the second on a wild pitch and put three across in the top of the third. Scott Taylor beat out an infield single that scored Troy Applin who started the inning reaching on an error. He scored as Ben Beacorn singled to left field which got by the outfielder allowing Taylor and Ricky Castro to score to take a 4-0 lead.
Apprentice School tied the game with a four-spot in the bottom of the third. With one out, Trevin Wilson reached on a fielders choice to advance Chris Scarola who also reached on a fielders choice. After a balk advanced the runners to second and third, Chris Aldridge followed with a bunt single which plated Wilson for the first run. The Builders executed a double steal which pushed Wilson across for a 4-2 deficit. One out later, Andrew Hooper then ripped a double to left field scoring Devorn Lake and Aldridge for a tie game.
The pitchers for both teams settled in the middle of the game as Daniel Lutz for the Builders and reliever Korey Reed for Rappahannock cooled the offensive outbursts. Reed came in to start the fifth and retired the first 10 batters he faced, while Lutz gave up four of his eight hits allowed in the fourth through seventh innings with no more runs.
In the eighth, Rappahannock pushed a run across on relief pitcher Chris Perry as Taylor drove in Josh Crawford with a sacrifice fly. Rappahannock had another shot in the ninth as Bubby Miles and Ben Parker singled to sandwich a hit batter to load the bases with one out. Perry induced Crawford to ground into a double play to end that threat.
The Builders made quick work to score two runs in the bottom of the ninth as Ryan Hendrickson ripped a double to left-center to start the inning. Justin Hike came in to pinch-run as Zach Harding drew a walk and Perry helped his cause with a bunt single to load the bases. Scarola fouled off a pitch before dropping a single down the right-field like to allow Hike and Harding to score the winning runs.
Perry was 3-for-4, while Aldridge, Hendrickson and Scarola had two hits each for the Builders. On the mound, Perry earned his fourth win of the year with two innings of work allowing three hits and one run. Lutz went the first seven innings allowing eight hits and striking out six.
Apprentice School turns right around on Friday at 5 pm to face Thomas Nelson CC in a single-game at War Memorial Stadium.