By Preston Williams
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, May 30, 2006

In the middle of the season, when Madison had to call off its annual baseball matchup with Oakton after playing too many games during its spring break tournament, the cancellation caused some momentary turbulence between the Vienna rivals.

The Cougars no longer harbor any hard feelings after bouncing Madison from the Virginia AAA Northern Region quarterfinals with a 6-5 win yesterday at Robinson.

Oakton scored six runs in the first four innings and made those runs stand thanks in part to a clutch seventh inning of relief from senior Colin Michael, who retired the top three batters in the Madison order to secure the win. That helped make up for a throwing error he committed the previous inning at third base, a position he was playing for the first time all season.

Michael felt far more comfortable on a hot mound than on the hot corner, particularly against Madison players he knows well.

"It's always good to hear your buddies are doing well over there, but it feels even better than any other victory," Michael said. "It's good to end their season like that."

Oakton advanced to face Langley in a region semifinal at 7 tomorrow night at Madison. Langley moved on with an 8-3 win over Westfield, also yesterday at Robinson.

Stone Bridge and Lake Braddock will meet in the other region semifinal at 4 tomorrow at Madison. The semifinal winners qualify for the state tournament.

In taking a 6-2 lead, Oakton seniors Chris Despins and Carmine Cafiero each had two-run hits and junior Mark Stier hit a solo homer.

In the other game, Langley seemed an unlikely team to advance to the semifinals. The Saxons, the fourth seed out of the Liberty District, were starting sophomore pitcher Foster Dunigan for the first time all season -- he lasted 3 1/3 innings -- and some players, ill from the heat, were vomiting before the game.

Langley managed two hits through the first five innings before erupting for eight hits and six runs in the last two, the key blast being a three-run homer by junior Chaz Ayoub that gave the Saxons a 5-3 lead in the sixth.

Oakton 6, Madison 5 Langley 8, Westfield 3 Worried for Coach: Personnel from Oakton and Madison are concerned about hospitalized Madison assistant Bob Robeson, who was taken by ambulance from the first-round region game Friday after a brain hemorrhage at game time. Oakton Coach Scott Rowland, a close friend, had Robeson's name written underneath the bill of his cap yesterday. Another Crown?: Oakton is vying for its third region title in seven years.