Langley Rally in District Title Game Comes up One Run Short

Nate Favero and Andy McGuire both went 2 for 3 with a walk and a home run as the Madison High School Warhawks rode their bats to the Liberty District Title, defeating the Langley Saxons 8-7 in a thriller on Monday night.  

Both Favero and McGuire’s long balls came in a four-run first inning. After going down a run in the top of the first, the Warhawks put up four hits in their first five at bats.  Ben Socher got things started with a single before Favero hit his home run.  Senior catcher Jay Kenyon got on base with a single before McGuire hit one over the center field fence. 

Sophomore pitcher Dan Powers had two strikeouts in a 1-2-3 second inning, enabling the Warhawk bats to get back to business.  Following a lead-off triple by Justin Padgett, Socher got on base with a walk, then stole second base while Padgett threatened to take home on the double steal.  Kenyon and McGuire both took four balls to bring in Padgett, but the Saxons held on to strand the other three runners.

The Saxons finally started to get a piece of Powers in the third, but great fielding by Joe Corrigan and Alex Troyler on three consecutive long balls left the Saxons hitless in the inning.  The Saxons got going in the fifth with two runs, but the Warhawks responded with three of their own to lead 8-3 going into the sixth.

But the tide turned as Powers gave up six runs in the sixth inning. Favero, the first-team All-Liberty District second basemen, stepped up to the mound and got the crucial outs to end the Saxon rally one run short of tying the game.

With the tying Saxon run on first in the top of the seventh, Favero’s replacement on the bag, Tim Davis, made the defensive play of the night.  The junior snagged a line drive shot and beat the Saxon runner with his throw to first for the double play.  Davis also fielded the ensuing grounder for the final out, securing the title.

The win gives the Warhawks a No. 1 seed entering Friday’s Northern Region tournament play.