Lincoln's Dillon Shaw hits 2 grand slams in win over Robert C. Byrd

Shaw hit two grand slams, the first in the first inning and the second slam in the third inning, and also had an RBI single in Lincoln’s 23-4 run-rule victory over Robert C. Byrd in five innings on Wednesday at RCB.

“I’m ecstatic,” Shaw said. “There’s no other feeling.”

Shaw was 3 for 4 with nine RBIs and scored two runs. He also got hit by a pitch, reaching base four times.

In his first grand slam, he hit a fastball over the fence in left center field that, at the time, gave the Cougars a 5-0 first-inning lead.

And in his second grand slam, he hit another fastball, this time a little higher and inside, to deep left field, where it struck the scoreboard and stretched the Cougars’ third-inning lead to 16-3.

“Just to get the opportunity for that second one, that’s rare, and then he took advantage of it,” Lincoln coach Greg Smith said. “I mean, he hit both of those balls hard, and he’s been due. He’s been hitting balls right at kids, and he’s been due. He finally found the barrel today, and had a heck of a day. Nine RBIs? That’s unreal. But I’m proud of Dillon. He deserves every bit of it.”

Lincoln’s Colton Edwards was 3 for 5 with three RBIs and scored three runs. Noah Sears was 2 for 4 with an RBI and scored three runs. Will Wolfe finished 2 for 5 with an RBI and scored a run.

It was Military Appreciation Night at RCB.

RCB did, however, keep it close in the first inning. After Anthony Corsini walked and Xavier Carvelli singled, Ashton Shaffer hit the first pitch he saw to shallow right field, where it took a few bounces before being fielded, for an RBI single.

That brought up Saverio Destito, who hit a line drive right of the shortstop and into left field, where it snuck under the glove of the left fielder, resulting in an error, and driving in two runs: 5-3 Cougars.

Trailing 9-3, RCB had two runners on base with Shaffer batting. Shaffer hit a pitch to deep left field that narrowly stayed fair for a three-run homer.

But the home run was negated when a balk was called on the Lincoln pitcher, which also advanced each runner a base. Shaffer eventually walked, loading the bases, but the Flying Eagles stranded all runners as a groundout ended the threat.

“David Posey got the call exactly right,” RCB coach Andrew Smith said. “In high school baseball, there is no live-ball balk; it’s a dead-ball balk, so as soon as he calls balk, whatever happens at the plate is dead. It doesn’t matter, it’s null and void. Unfortunately for us in that situation, we hit a three-run home run that we end up only getting one base out of.”

The Flying Eagles committed nine errors in the game, thus helping the Cougars score five runs in the first inning, four in the second, 11 in the third and three more in the fourth inning.

When Shaw blasted his second grand slam, the Cougars had already scored seven runs in the inning.

But following a walk and an error, Sears hit an 0-2 pitch to left field for an RBI single. Edwards followed with an RBI single of his own, also to left field. Wolfe hit a single that resulted in an errant throw, also scoring a run. An RBI groundout from Brycen Moore stretched the Cougars’ lead to 20-3.

“Our bats came ready today and they’ve been getting better each game,” Greg Smith said. “Last night, we hit the ball a lot better against East Fairmont, and it came into today. Every time it seemed like someone was in scoring position, boom, base hits all over the place, so hitting wise, I cannot be more tickled with the way we hit today.”

Brycen Moore also got the win on the mound. The first of three Lincoln pitchers, he pitched two innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on two hits with five walks and one strikeout.

Lincoln still wasn’t done. After Preston Ellis hit a grounder to third and reached on an errant throw to first, Alex Greene hit an 0-2 pitch to deep left field for a double.

That brought up Cade Heflin, whose two-run single to left field increased the Cougars’ lead to 22-4. Two batters later, Wolfe laced the first pitch he saw to shallow right field, where it took a few bounces before being gloved for an RBI single.

Lincoln travels to Doddridge County at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. RCB hosts Elkins at 6 p.m. Thursday.