The Fredericksburg Nationals reduced the magic number to 3 with a 5-2 win over the Delmarva Shorebirds Saturday. The Fredericksburg Nationals defense turned five double plays, and Will Frizzell and Branden Boissiere combined to drive in four of the five runs.

Kyle Luckham earned the win on the mound for the Fredericksburg Nationals after entering in the third in relief of starter Mason Denaburg. Luckham allowed one run (one earned) in the north of two innings. Peyton Glavine preserved a 4-2 lead in the 7th by striking out top overall pick Jackson Holliday and leaving the bases loaded behind Holden Powell.

The FredNats fell behind 1-0 in the second but rebounded behind three combined sacrifice flies from Boissiere and Frizzell, who also had an RBI single in the fifth. Trey Lipscomb picked up an RBI to score Jacob Young in the third. JT Arruda finished with a pair of hits, including a double, a walk, and a run scored.

Chance Huff earned his first professional save with two innings of scoreless relief. He induced the fifth and final double play of the night to end the game. Conor Grady suffered the loss on the mound for the Shorebirds.

The Fredericksburg Nationals now stand at 37-21 in the second half and are 5.5 games ahead of Carolina in the chase for the Carolina League North crown. The team’s magic number will be 3 entering Sunday’s 1:35 start. RHP Jose Atencio will get the ball on the mound vs. the Shorebirds.