VFW earns three victories

Mike Sciacca, Coastline Pilot

Another masterful pitching effort and defensive performance allowed

VFW to overcome a lackluster offensive output as they defeated the

visiting San Juan Capistrano Dodgers, 2-1, to rack up their eighth Majors

Division victory in the first game of the second half of division play.

Keegan Valaika pitched the first four innings, striking out seven.

Kevin Buck saw relief action and pitched two hitless, scoreless innings.

The duo was backed by the play of infielders Devin Hands, Matt Austin,

Charles Moothart, Alex Shusko and outfielder Colby Ammerman.

VFW broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning when Ammerman singled

and scored on a Dodgers’ throwing error, and Valaika’s triple down the

right field line scored Gabe Stansbury who had singled.

In other games:

VFW 5, Fire Fighters 1

Gabe Stansbury allowed just two hits in four innings on the mound to

lead VFW.

Alex Shusko, who had a bunt single, gave VFW a 1-0 lead when he scored

on Cooper Gwaltney’s single. Kevin Buck later doubled and scored on Colby

Ammerman’s single, Drake Dixon singled and scored on Charles Moothart’s

single, and Ammerman drove in two more runs with a double to the gap in

left-center field.

Dixon finished with two hits and Keegan Valaika added a single.

The Fire Fighters scored in the fifth inning when Graham Harris, who

had doubled, scored on an RBI ground out by Max Munoz.

Buck pitched a scoreless sixth inning as VFW completed the first half

of Majors Division play with a 7-1 record.

VFW 4, Diamondbacks 2

VFW overcame a 1-0 deficit to win their first game in San Juan

Capistrano in two years.

Colby Ammerman and Gabe Stansbury each threw three quality innings for

VFW allowing only one run apiece. Each finished with four strikeouts. The

D-backs managed only three baserunners in the final five innings and

Stansbury retired the side in two of his three innings pitched.

Devin Hands was the offensive catalyst for VFW. He started a two-run

rally in the third inning with a double and scored on a Charles Moothart

single. Kevin Buck’s sharp ground out scored Drake Dixon, who had walked,

to give VFW a 2-1 lead.

After the D-backs tied the score in the fifth inning, Hands singled to

start the sixth inning and scored on a groundout RBI by Keegan Valaika.

Stansbury also scored in the frame.

The defense of Buck, Stansbury, Hands, Valaika, Alex Shusko, Matt

Austin, Will Armstrong and Cooper Gwaltney also keyed the victory.