For at least the season opener, the Washington-Liberty Generals reversed a frustrating trend from a year ago of losing close games.
Instead, Washington-Liberty kicked off the 2024 high-school baseball campaign by nipping the visiting Centreville Wildcats, 3-2, in extra innings in a March 12 contest.
Luke Harnishfeger scored the winning run from third on a wild pitch with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Harnishfeger singled in his at-bat in the ninth, as did Alex Devens, then Samuel Abramowicz was hit by a pitch to lead the bases.
With Michael Varley batting, Harnishfeger scored the game-winner.
Last season, the Generals lost four one-run games and 11 total by three runs or fewer.
Jack Couture was the starting pitcher for W-L against Centreville. He struck out seven and allowed four hits in five innings. Jon Keane worked the next two scoreless frames with four strikeouts. Kailen Hackmann pitched the final two to earn the win. He fanned four and did not allow a hit.
With the bat, Keane had two hits, including a double and Sean Guffey hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning.
In its next action, Washington-Liberty will play two games on Saturday, March 16 when the Generals host the first Norwood Classic at the Quincy Park field.
Four teams are participating, with W-L hosting Thomas Jefferson in a 10 a.m. game, followed by C.D. Hylton vs. Meridian at 12:30 p.m. The losers of those games meet at 3 p.m., then the winners of the first two games play at 5:30 p.m.
The classic is named after the late Del Norwood, the longtime former and highly successful coach of the then Washington-Lee team. His squads won more than 400 games, two region championships, multiple district crowns and finished second in the state one season.
Current Generals’ head coach Kevin Healy said the reason for the classic is to “showcase” the urban Quincy Park field and facility that’s located in the middle of Arlington a bit more, involve the Norwood family and team alumni, and have a “nice event with some good baseball.”
