During their nine game winning streak, the Senator players have had the same look of determination and confidence on their faces for every game. It was no different on Wednesday night as the Senators extended their winning streak to 10 games with a 6-3 victory over the Reston Hawks at Waters Field. The Senators now stand at 12-2 and atop the Clark Griffith League standings with six games left in the first round of games.
The Senators get the most out of the opportunities that present themselves. Tonight, the Senators scored six runs while collecting nine hits and built a large enough lead that they were never really threatened by the Hawks.
In the third inning, Kevin Hansen led off by reaching on an error by the Reston third baseman. Hansen then advanced to third when Andrew Fritz singled. Hansen scored on an errant throw to second base by the Hawks pitcher on a groundball hit by Wes Schirtzinger. Fritz moved to third base and Schirtzinger to second base when Donald Brown reached first base after being hit by a pitch. With the bases loaded, the Hawks pitcher threw a wild pitch, allowing Fritz to cross the plate and make the score 2-0.
The Senators struck again in the fifth inning. Reggie Dixon led off with a single and advanced to third when Schirtzinger singled. Matt Lesyk then placed a perfect sacrifice bunt down the first base line to drive in Dixon and make the score 3-0. Two batters later, Justin Bunkis singled to drive in Schirtzinger who had advanced to third on a Brown groundout to second base. Bunkis’ RBI single extended the lead to 4-0. Bunkis then scored from first base when AJ Lamonda hit a scorching ball down the right field line for a triple. At the end of the fifth, the score stood at 5-0.
The Hawks scored a run in the seventh inning when Alan Peake drove in Scott Hoar from second with an RBI single.
The Senators tacked on an insurance run in the seventh inning when Justin Bunkis stole home on a delayed steal involving Guillermo Martinez. Bunkis’ run made the score 6-1.
The Hawks were able to score two more in the ninth when Scott Hoar hit a two run homerun to make the score 6-3. That was all that the Hawks would get as relief pitcher Hunter Hall struck out Mike Capbarat to end the ballgame.
Joe Hughes pitched seven strong innings for the Senators while Mark Dutmers and Hall finished off the Hawks. Bunkis, Lamonda, and Dixon finished with two hits apiece for the Senators. The Senators travel to Herndon tomorrow to take on the Herndon Braves at Herndon High School. The game is scheduled to start at 7 p.m.