LYNCHBURG -The Valley Baseball League and the Florida League played to a 6-6 tie Tuesday in the NACSB Prospect Games at Liberty University.
The VBL took the lead in the bottom of the third inning. New Market’s Jake Henry Williams (Arkansas State) led off the inning with a double and Rebels teammate Johnathan Mallow (Millersville) singled to put runners at first and third. After Mallow stole second, Front Royal’s Broedy Poppell (Florida A&M) walked to load the bases. Purcellville’s Jake Slade (Virginia Tech) walked to force home the first run and Winchester’s Jaylen Hernandez (Winthrop) was hit by a pitch, forcing in another run for a 2-0 Valley lead.
Florida tied the score with two runs in the fourth and then took the lead with two more in the fifth. Another run in the sixth gave Florida a 5-2 lead, but the VBL rallied to tie the score in the bottom of the sixth. Front Royal’s Jimmy King (Holy Cross) doubled in a run and Williams followed with a two-run triple to pull the Valley even 5-5.
The VBL moved back out front in the seventh. Purcellville’s Michal Gupton led off with a double and moved to third on a groundout to the right side by Purcellville catcher Bear Madliak. Cannon’s shortstop Shintaro Inoue put the Valley ahead 6-5 with a sacrifice fly to right.
Florida scored the tying run in the eighth on a wild pitch and neither team could plate a run in the ninth as the game ended in a tie.
The VBL finished the game with eight hits, two each by Gupton and Williams.
On the mound, Front Royal’s Payton Barton (Black Hawk) and Woodstock’s Brett James (UNC-Pembroke) turned in 1-2-3 innings.