Greene Machine adds to wins

Pictured left to right, front row: Austin Batten, Orlando Nelson, Gary Morris, Lamar Nelson, Collin Tucker. Back row, left to right: Coach Farron Gentry, Jordan Gentry, Ryan Leake, Jacob Hirtz, Joe Krynitski, manager John Batten, Trey Kirby, Logan Forloines, scorekeeper Brad Hirtz.

By Contributed article
Published: August 07, 2008

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The Greene Machine, a USSSA 13U baseball team based in Greene County, recently captured two more tournament championships.
July 19 and 20 at the Virginia Sports Complex in Ruther Glen, the Greene Machine won the VSC Summer Shootout, going 5-0 and winning three games by slaughter-rule. Defeating the NOVA Mets 12-0, the Northwest Washington (DC) Senators 18-3, and the Potomac Raiders 15-0 put the Machine into the semi-finals.
Facing the host VSC Red team the game went to extra innings tied at 2, when in the top of the eighth the Machine scored 9 runs to post the 11-3 victory.
The championship game against the Virginia Heat of Virginia Beach featured excellent pitching and error-free defense from both teams. Tied at zero in the bottom of the last fame, the Greene Machine executed a squeeze bunt to take the championship.
July 25-27 the Greene Machine won the 12th annual Cove Creek Classic Tournament in Albemarle County. The Greene Machine got off to a fast start with a 12-1 victory over the VA MadDogs of New Kent, but then dropped a 3-2 decision to the Central VA Speed of Charlottesville to put them into the loser's bracket of the double elimination event.
The Greene Machine finished Saturday's play with a 14-1 victory over Summit Point of Maryland. On Sunday, faced with the challenge of possibly playing four games, the Greene Machine got off to a good start by defeating the Midlothian Mavericks 10-0 and the Pasadena Eagles of Maryland 11-1, putting the team into the championship round against the Central VA Speed. In extra innings, the Greene Machine beat the Speed 6-5 and then took the tournament championship by beating them again, 10-3.
The Greene Machine's weekend featured excellent pitching and sound defense, and highlights included 11 homeruns by six different players.
Having won the 9th annual ECTB Memorial Day National Invitational earlier this season, the Machine, now with a 45-7-1 record, earned a paid berth and will compete in the ECTB National Championship Series August 8-10 in Pennsylvania.