‘Versatile’ ‘Cats Split Pair RC Girls Fall To Eagles, Rebound Against Blue Streaks
Showing improvement in hitting and fielding, the Rockbridge County High School softball team split a pair of Valley District games last week, suffering a 6-0 road loss to East Rockingham last Monday before earning a 6-1 home win over Harrisonburg last Tuesday.
Against Harrisonburg (0-5 overall, 0-2 district) the Wildcats (3-3, 2-2) snapped a three-game losing streak.
After two scoreless innings, the Wildcats scored three runs in the third inning. Page Wright singled on a grounder to right field to bring home Brooke Hostetter and Gabby Brown for the first two runs. Landrey Campbell scored the third run when Sadie Moore doubled to center field.
The Wildcats scored their other three runs in the fourth. Cameron Terry and Kayleigh Rosson crossed home plate on Harrisonburg errors, and Hostetter scored on a groundout by Brown. The Blue Streaks lone run in the top of the seventh when Kayli Alvarado ran home on an RC error.
Campbell and Terry led the Wildcats with two hits each, while Wright, Moore, Hostetter and Willow Rogers each had one hit. Alvarado and Delaney Dayton paced the Blue Streaks with two hits each.
RC head coach Keston Pelter praised her players for hitting and fielding, with some players in new positions, including Hostetter, a sophomore who was subbing in at shortstop for starter Bella Dorey, who was away on spring break.
“We definitely have some girls, not playing out of position, but playing in some places that are newer to them today, but it worked,” said Pelter. “They backed each other up. They were pretty smooth and fluid on that. We hit the ball well.”
“That’s the thing about this year we were excited about,” added Pelter. “We have some girls that are versatile, that can play in several positions.”
On the mound, Moore stayed consistent and pitched a complete game, striking out eight while allowing four hits, no walks and one unearned run.
Harrisonburg committed five errors, while RC had one.
Dayton pitched a complete game for Harrisonburg, striking out one while allowing eight hits, three walks and six runs (one earned).
Pleased that her players could go into their time off for spring break on a positive note, Pelter said. “It was good for them to let them have the last part of their spring break and have a win.”
ER 6, RC 0
Facing tougher competition, the Wildcats had a solid hitting night against East Rockingham on Monday of last week in Elkton, but they weren’t able to convert those hits into runs, suffering a 6-0 loss.
“We hit the ball, but we just hit it right to them,” said Pelter. “We couldn’t find the holes.”
The Eagles (9-1, 4-0) racked up 12 hits, scattering runs across three innings, while the Wildcats had four hits. Sydney Short led ER with three hits and had an RBI, while Adalyn Good had two hits and led the Eagles with three RBIs. Hostetter paced the Wildcats with two hits, while Campbell and Terry each had one hit.
ER took a 1-0 lead in the first when Abigail Shifflett singled to left field to bring home Good.
The Eagles then scored four runs in the second, starting with a solo home run by Short. Later in the innings, Good belted a three-run homer to extend ER’s lead to 5-0.
ER scored its final run in the fourth when Sierra Custer doubled to right field to drive in BreAnn Malin.
On the mound, Moore pitched a complete game for the Wildcats, striking out two while allowing 12 hits, no walks and six runs, five of them earned. For ER, Caroline Eppard pitched the first two innings, striking out two and surrendering no hits and one walk. In the final five innings, Good pitched for the Eagles, striking out two while allowing four hits and one walk to complete the shutout.
The Wildcats committed two errors, while the Eagles had none.
Praising her players, Pelter said she and her assistant coaches have “been proud of their effort both nights this week.”
The Wildcats were scheduled to visit Turner Ashby yesterday and will continue district action at home against Rocktown on Friday at 5 p.m. before traveling to face district rival Broadway on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
WILDCAT JUNIOR Page Wright takes a swing. Wright had one hit, one walk and two RBIs. (Stephanie Mikels Blevins photo)
RC JUNIOR Landrey Campbell rounds third base as Wildcat assistant coach Cari Mayton signals to another baserunner. Campbell recorded two hits. (Stephanie Mikels Blevins photo)
WILDCAT JUNIOR Gabby Brown keeps her foot on the bag to beat the tag by the Harrisonburg infielder. Brown had one RBI. (Stephanie Mikels Blevins photo)
