Greene Machine picks up wins

contributed article
Published: June 19, 2008

The GREENE MACHINE, a USSSA 13U baseball team based in Greene County, competed June 7th & 8th in the Championship Warmup Series Tournament at the Virginia Sports Complex in Ruther Glen, VA. 
The team started well Saturday beating the RBA West team of Richmond 11 - 7, but then tied the Midlothian Wildcats at 3 called due to time.  Seeded 3rd of 10 after pool play, the Machine began championship round play Sunday by defeating the host team, VSC Red 6 - 1 behind 5 strong innings on the mound from Logan Forloines, setting up a rematch with the Midlothian Wildcats.
In another duel, led by Jordan Gentry’s 7 innings pitched, the Machine scored the go ahead run in the bottom of the 6th and then held for a 2 - 1 victory.
The Greene Machine then took the championship with an 8 - 0 win in 5 innings over the Virginia Mad Dogs of New Kent, highlighted by Lamar Nelson’s pitching.
The team,  28-3-1, next played June 14 - 15 in the Big Dawg Classic in Roanoke and then the USSSA State Championship Tournament June 21 - 22 at the Virginia Sports Complex.
John Batten is the manager of the Greene Machine; Farron Gentry is the coach.
Batten says the key to the success of the team is the speed and “athletic ability of the kids.”
“It’s a unique bunch,” said Batten “This ball team has been together since they were 8 years old. They’ve just bonded as a team.”