RIPPLE/Matthew Gorry
Forbush’s Caleb Brawley, last year’s conference player of the year, is one key senior that will be graduating.
EAST BEND - For a team that looked so dominant throughout the year, the Falcons’ season came to an abrupt end with a 9-2 loss to defending state champion Randleman Friday night in the opening round of the 2A state playoffs.
Forbush exploded out of the gates, racking up seven-straight Mountain Valley Conference wins - including a 13-1 beat-down of county-rival Starmount - en route to a 9-2 record.
Out of those nine wins, the Falcons scored double-digit runs in seven of those, proving they were one of the most prolific offenses in the area.
After losing a heart-breaking 3-1 loss to undefeated Wilkes Central for their first loss of the year, Forbush rebounded and reeled off four-straight wins, including a 20-2 shelling off the top 1A team in the conference, West Wilkes.
The Falcons then loss back-to-back games to Starmount and Elkin where they scored a combined three runs, ending any chances of capturing a regular-season title, and showing signs of weakness in a once-explosive offense.
Excluding a 12-0 win over helpless Alleghany, Forbush scored a total of five runs over their final three games, including a 7-2 loss to the Rams in the MVAC tournament semifinals, dropping the Falcons to the third seed out of the 2A clubs.
As the No. 3, Forbush drew one of the toughest draws, setting up a matchup with Randleman, the fifth-ranked team in the state in the Impact Baseball Rankings.
The Tigers breezed to a 9-2 victory, knocking the Falcons out of the 2A playoff bracket in surprising fashion.
Forbush caps its season with a 17-7 mark, while bidding farewell to several key seniors, including Caleb Brawley, Brittan Baity, Josh Faircloth and Travis Holden.
Reach Matthew Gorry at 835-1513 or mgorry@heartlandpublications.com.
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