Region Roundup: Area baseball standouts earn all

LCA’s Ben Blair hits a two-run triple against New Kent during the Class 3 state semifinal game in Fredericksburg on June 9.

Amherst’s Dalton Wentz pitches in the bottom of the sixth inning against E.C. Glass on May 2.

Lancer pitcher Christian Harris got the start on the mound during a May 16 game against Heritage. Lancers rolled to a 16-2 Seminole District win.

Lancer David Travis hustles in an on-the-run catch.

Amherst starter Nick Dawson fires off a pitch in the fourth inning of Tuesday’s 4-1 win at E.C. Glass. Dawson earned the win and scattered four hits during his outing.

LCA senior Boston Torres heads to third base on a single by Braden Weaver in the third inning of a Region 3C semifinal game at LCA on Wednesday.

After being named Seminole District pitcher of the year last month and then leading his team to the Class 3 state semifinals, Liberty Christian senior Ben Blair took home two first team all-state honors when the Virginia High School League released its Class 3 teams Wednesday.

The 6-foot-4 Liberty University signee earned all-state honors at pitcher and at second base. He was one of three LCA players named to the state team Wednesday. Outfielder Braden Weaver was a first-team selection and outfielder Boston Torres took home second-team honors.

Staunton River third baseman Jesse Brown also was a first-team selection.

Blair enjoyed a sensational senior season, going 10-0 in 12 appearances, and posting a 0.71 ERA. He allowed just six runs across 59⅓ innings, amassed 100 strikeouts and gave up just six earned runs. Blair never gave up more than three hits in any outing. On May 3, he threw a no-hitter in an 11-0 win at Brookville, striking out a season-high 14 batters.

Blair also hit .400 with 12 extra-base hits, one home run, 18 RBIs and 15 runs scored to pace LCA, which went 23-1 and advanced to the Class 3 state semifinals one year after winning the state title.

Weaver hit .485 with 33 total hits, including eight extra-base hits and four home runs. He scored 21 runs and finished the season with 25 RBIs. He hit safely in 21 of 24 games.

Brown hit a blistering .540 for the Golden Eagles (7-14) with 33 hits, including 10 extra-base hits (eight doubles). He blasted four home runs, scored 26 runs and drove in 22 runs. In a 14-0 victory over William Fleming on April 23, Brown went 3 for 3 with two homers, a double and five RBIs. He hit safely in 15 of his team's 21 games and also made four appearances on the mound, going 2-0 with one earned run in 7⅔ innings.

The Class 4 all-state baseball team also was released Wednesday and featured four Amherst players.

Senior catcher Christian Harris and junior pitcher/shortstop Dalton Wentz earned first-team honors.

Harris, the Seminole District and Region 4D player of the year, helped the Lancers (20-4) win the region championship and paced the program to its first state tourney appearance since 2018. He hit .458 with 33 total hits, five home runs, 36 RBIs and 11 stolen bases, while going 7-0 on the mound and posting a 1.21 ERA.

Wentz, a South Carolina commit, hit .413 with 26 hits, eight doubles, seven home runs, 30 RBIs and 40 runs scored. He had two multi-homer games, with two blasts on March 20 against Nelson and two on May 5 against Rustburg. In that latter game, he also went 3 for 3 with a double and six RBIs.

Wentz saw limited time on the mound, but was extremely effective, with 50 strikeouts in 29⅔ innings. He went 4-1 with a save and posted a 0.47 ERA. He was honored on the league's first team at shortstop and on the second team at pitcher.

Second-team honors went to Amherst senior pitcher/infielder Nick Dawson, who was an at-large selection for his work on the mound, in the field and at the plate, and to senior outfielder David Travis.

To view both all-state teams, scroll to the bottom of this report.

MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Lynchburg 5, Carolina 2

In Zebulon, North Carolina, the Hillcats struck three times in the top of the first inning, then made the lead stand down the stretch to defeat the Mudcats and claim their fourth straight victory, and second of the series.

Juan Benjamin drove in those three runs in the first with a bases-loaded double. Carolina cut the deficit to one with Jace Avina's two-run homer in the fourth. Lynchburg's Angel Genao made it 4-2 on a sacrifice fly in the seventh, and Benjamin struck again in the ninth with an RBI single to right.

Hillcats starter Yorman Gomez (2-4) earned the win by throwing five innings and giving up two runs (both earned) on four hits. He struck out five.

Tomas Reyes earned his third save of the season by pitching a 1-2-3 ninth.

Game 3 of the series is set for 7 p.m. Thursday.

First team: Pitcher — Ben Blair (Liberty Christian Academy), Raymond Ladd (Tunstall), Trey Ludy (Cave Spring); Catcher — Brayden Heath (New Kent); First Base — Mason Self (Christiansburg); Second Base — Ben Blair (LCA); Third Base — Jesse Brown (Staunton River); Shortstop — Trey Ludy (Cave Spring); Outfield — Carson Seely (New Kent), Braden Weaver (LCA), Gary Proctor (Cave Spring); Designated Hitter — Kent Ray (Cave Spring); At-Large — Jeff Humphreys (Abingdon), Tanner Evans (Christiansburg).

Second team: Pitcher — Carson Seely (New Kent), Bobby Holihan (York), J.J. Glasscock (Fluvanna); Catcher — J.J. Hand (Brentsville District); First Base — Jonny Daly (Brentsville District); Second Base — Jack Ferguson (Abingdon); Third Base — Brent Haden (Colonial Heights); Shortstop — Bransen Hensley (Broadway); Outfield — Austin Harris (Brentsville District), Micah Matthews (Turner Ashby), Boston Torres (LCA); Designated Hitter — Donavan Boles (Brentsville District); At-Large — Zach Miller (Colonial Heights), Parker Hildebrand (William Monroe).

Player of the Year: Trey Ludy, Cave Spring

Coach of the Year: Trevor Ronan, New Kent.

First team: Pitcher — Nick Bell (James Wood), Noah Yoder (Atlee), Colin McGuire (James Wood); Catcher — Christian Harris (Amherst); First Base — Aaron Maxie (Mechanicsville); Second Base — Aydan Smith (Monacan); Third Base — Reid Ivy (Monacan); Shortstop — Dalton Wentz (Amherst); Outfield — Jack Bowles (Hanover), William Tuttle (Powhatan), Cam Lamb (Mechanicsville); Designated Hitter — Christian Velez (Smithfield); At-Large — Nolan Williamson (Hanover), Walt Bondurant (Smithfield).

Second team: Pitcher — Hayden Ways (Mechanicsville), Mathew Swanson (Jamestown), Dalton Wentz (Amherst); Catcher — Jacob Lee (Matoaca); First Base — Daniel Schmidt (Jamestown); Second Base — Cole Keel (Tuscarora); Third Base — AJ Boone (Churchland); Shortstop — TJ Woodson (Hanover); Outfield — Mathew Good (Great Bridge), Aaron Van Tuyle (Heritage-Leesburg), David Travis (Amherst); Designated Hitter — Peyton McHaffey (Kettle Run); At-Large — Nick Dawson (Amherst), Bauer Burkhart (Tuscarora).

Player of the Year: Nolan Williamson, Hanover

Coach of the Year: Chris Nolan, Smithfield.

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