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A cold mid-April Tuesday saw new Concorde District member James Madison play host to Centreville in a key early-season matchup. Madison would dominate the game and beat the Wildcats 7-0.

Madison starting pitcher, junior lefty Matt Howat was dominant all night for the Warhawks, holding Centreville to just two hits in a complete game shutout, with one of the hits being a bunt single in the seventh inning. Howat struck out seven and walked one while facing just one batter over the minimum as he continued what has been a breakout spring for him.

The Warhawk offense had to deal with Centreville senior Cristian Sanchez (Virginia), and they got to him quickly in the first. A hit by pitch and single put two on for senior Kyle Novak (James Madison), who got the Warhawks on the board ripping a double up the first baseline. Junior Ethan Lipp drove in two more as he bounced a single up the middle, giving Madison a 3-0 lead with no outs in the first. Sanchez would settle down and end the threat after Lipp’s hit.

In the bottom of the third, Lipp was at it again, coming up with one out after a leadoff walk and a Novak pop out, and Lipp drilled a Sanchez fastball out to deep left-center for a two run home run. The Warhawks would add two more runs in the bottom of the fourth on a Nick Leas two-run single, building the 7-0 lead that would be the final score.

For Centreville, Sanchez took the loss with 5 IP, 7 R, 9 H, 2 HBP, 3 BB, 6 K. Hunter Bell threw 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K. Catcher David Campbell was 1-2 with a BB.

For Madison, Howat was the winning pitcher with 7 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 7 K. Novak was 2-4 with a 2B and an RBI. Lipp was 2-3 with a HR and 4 RBIs. Leas was 1-2 with a HBP and 2 RBI. Brendan Sweeney was 1-2 with 2 BB.

 

Scouting Notes

Centreville

-Sanchez was 87-89 early, touching 90 in the first. Slider was 80-82. Curveball was 70-75.

-2019 Bell was 82-83, touching 84. Change-up was 76. Slider was 72.

-2020 shortstop Gavin Collins had some smooth actions defensively that warrant another look

 

Madison

-Howat was 77-80 with his fastball the whole game. Curveball was 65-70.

-2020 C Chris Polymeropoulos was 2.2-2.4 on throw downs between innings, had a 2.37 in game

-Lipp has some power and had plenty of batspeed to catch Sanchez's fastball

-Novak's bat looked as good as it always has been

 

 

For full scouting notes and videos, watch for the VA/DC Scout Blog post for this game later this week.

 

 

More 2018 HS Notebook