By Mark Sawyer
Special to The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — Often times in baseball one bad inning can cost teams a win, and such was the case for James Wood Thursday night at Millbrook.

The Colonels were looking to keep the Pioneers from crawling back into the logjam at the top of the Northwestern District standings with Handley and Sherando.

But there was that one inning, a six-run third, where Millbrook erased a three-run deficit and pulled ahead for a crucial 7-3 victory.

With the win, the Pioneers sweep the season series and move into a three-way tie for first with Handley and Sherando (by virtue of Sherando’s victory over Handley Thursday night). Each team has one regular season district game remaining before next week’s tournament.

Things looked good for the Colonels early on.

James Wood (2-16, 1-5 Northwestern) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first without the benefit of a hit. Leadoff hitter Brock Lockhart was hit by the first pitch of the game and stole second. Lockhart moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Niko Bobadilla and scored on a Cody Vorous sacrifice fly. The Colonels added a pair of runs in the top of the third. With one out Lockhart singled and Bobadilla walked. Vorous singled to left, scoring Lockhart, and Andrew Burnett’s sacrifice fly to right made it 3-0.