In a game decided on the final play, the Rockbridge County High School baseball team fell short 3-2 in its season opener against Alleghany last Wednesday in Covington.
The Cougars (3-1) scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh when Trey Cook singled on a hard grounder to center field, and Kai Rowland beat the throw to home plate to score.
Earlier in the nondistrict game, the Wildcats led for three innings before Alleghany scored two runs in the fourth to tie the game 2-2. The game remained tied for two more innings before the final play.
In the top of the first, RC senior Nolan Stines singled on a grounder to second base, and senior Drew Potter tripled on a fly ball to center field to drive in Stines, giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
The Wildcats extended their lead to 2-0 in the third after senior Clay Irvine doubled on a fly ball to left field and then scored when Stines doubled on a line drive to left field.
Alleghany answered back in the bottom of the fourth. Carson Brown singled on a grounder to Irvine, RC’s shortstop, bringing home Cook. The Cougars then tied the game when Jackson scored on an infield grounder by Tucker Phillips.
The Wildcats registered seven hits. Stines and freshman Austyn Gannutz led RC with two hits each, while Potter, Irvine and juniors Brady Majors each recorded one hit.
The Cougars had six hits, led by Jalen Raether with two, while four Alleghany players each recorded one hit.
On the mound for RC, Potter pitched a complete game, striking out four while allowing six hits, two walks and three runs (two earned).
For Alleghany, Phillips pitched the first six innings, striking out eight while surrendering six hits, two walks and two earned runs. In the seventh, Raether struck out two and allowed one hit, no walks and no runs.
RC committed one error, while Alleghany had none.
Reviewing the game, RC head coach Travis Roadcap said, “We had good effort and execution on the mound with Drew Potter and played really well defensively as a team. We just left way too many runners on base in scoring position in multiple innings and couldn’t find a timely hit when it mattered, but I feel that will come.”
The Wildcats are looking to improve after going 5-15 overall and 2-10 in the Valley District last year.
From last year’s team, the Wildcats graduated three seniors: pitchers Sean Martino and Zac Majors and catcher Thomas Armstrong.
This year, the Wildcats have 12 returning players and three first-year varsity players.
Optimistic about this year’s team, Roadcap, in his sixth year as RC’s head coach, said, “This is a great group of kids that the coaching staff has been looking forward to working with for a while with great senior leadership.”
The Wildcats have five seniors, four juniors, four sophomores and one freshman.
The seniors, all returning from last year’s squad, are Potter, Stines at center field, shortstop Clay Irvine, and pitchers and infielders Brady Edwards and JP Welsh III. Later this month, Stines will be signing a national letter of intent to play baseball for private school Bluefield University in Tazewell County.
Members of RC’s junior class are Brady Majors, a pitcher and right fielder; left fielder Trevor Hoke; catcher Austin Moyers; and pitcher and infielder Tyler Woods. Majors and Hoke return from last year, while Moyers and Woods are new to the varsity level.
The Wildcats return four sophomores, all of whom have pitched. Bradi Ziegler also plays at third baseman, Eli Sorrells was a designated hitter in the first game, and Elijah Watkins is a utility player. Rocky Perlozzo is a talented hitter and second baseman.
Gannutz, RC’s only freshman, is a catcher who got experience playing for the Wildcats' junior varsity team last year, and he played baseball with the USA National team in the Latin American Baseball Classic in the Dominican Republic in August 2023.
Helping Roadcap guide the Wildcats are returning assistant coaches Jamie Hostetter, Nick Perlozzo and Justin Wenger. Brian Smith is the head JV coach and is assisted by Wenger.
The Wildcats will start Valley District action at William Monroe on Friday at 6 p.m. On Saturday, they’ll have their home opener with a nondistrict game against local rival Parry McCluer at 1 p.m. RC will then return to district action at home against Spotswood on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
