Victory number 849 of the Charles Buddy Bolding Era, and the last in the stadium that bares the name of the longtime coach who will retire at the end of the season, had a most fitting tone for the program that began from the most humble roots.

It was Bolding, his family and players who did much of the grunt work on what would become Bolding Stadium when it was built in time for the 1981 season.

They did the work, because if they didn't, the team would've been playing in a field behind Moton School – its home for the first two seasons of the program.

In Tuesday night's game against the University of Richmond, junior co-captain Scott Burkett, who is usually either the catcher or designated hitter, got called on to pitch in the top of the tenth inning.

Arms are at a premium, and with a must-win series at Presbyterian staring them in the face this weekend, if the Lancers are to get into the eight-team Big South Tournament, they will need every primary pitcher available.

Prior to Tuesday night's game, Burkett had taken the hill only two times in his collegiate career, though he has thrown a number of balls from home plate back to the mound.

He not only did the job he was called on to do with two outs in the top of the tenth, his walk-off single in the bottom of the inning, gave the Lancers a good confidence builder heading into the weekend, and his coach, one last victory in his stadium.

What better way to end an era?

Getting To Play

On The Big Fields

The Fuqua School baseball team played its regular-season finale at Hampden-Sydney's Ty Cobb Park last week. Depending on the weather, next week's Herald should have stories on Prince Edward's baseball/softball twin bill, of sorts, scheduled to be played at Longwood University's fields on Thursday afternoon.

The boys basketball teams from Prince Edward, Cumberland and Buckingham (PE and Cumberland twice) have played in the Call Me Mister Tournament at Longwood's Willett Hall.

Fuqua's game against Tidewater was an impromptu offering made by H-SC baseball coach Jeff Kinne and the Tigers athletics department last Monday. Prince Edward has hosted its two spring Senior Day events at Longwood for three straight years, and the Call Me Mister Tournament has been going on for the past two seasons.

Both Longwood and Hampden-Sydney deserve to be congratulated. They obviously don't have to do these types of things for a number of reasons.

There is something special about getting to play a game on the “big fields” in town. The grass is greener. When the sun does shine, the sky may even be bluer.

The players for Prince Edward look forward to it. The three opponents that have played (Greensville, Southampton and Park View) see it as a treat, and for the better part of six innings, Tidewater Academy looked to be enjoying themselves at Ty Cobb Park last week.

Because of the two colleges in Prince Edward County, residents get a number of opportunities not afforded to those that live in other rural locales – or even the perceived “well to do” areas.

What the PECHS baseball and softball teams got to experience on Thursday (provided the weather held up) and what the kids on the Fuqua baseball team were able to enjoy last week are just small parts, but to them (and their opponents – none of which live in an area that can offer the same), it's a very large small part.

Well done, Hampden-Sydney and Longwood.