RC’s Moore Strikes Out 12, Wildcats Rack Up 18 Hits
Led by strong hitting and an outstanding pitching performance by Sadie Moore, the Rockbridge County High School softball team earned a resounding 17-0 home win in five innings over local rival Parry McCluer on Thursday afternoon in Lexington.
In the season opener for the Wildcats, Moore, a senior cocaptain for RC, struck out 12 batters while allowing just three hits and no walks on the warm and windy afternoon. All of the outs that the Wildcats made in the first three innings were strikeouts.
The Wildcats have now won the last five games with Blues, sweeping the season series for the last two years. The Blues (1-1) were coming off a 25-2 win in five innings over Rocktown in their opener at home last Wednesday. (See separate story.)
In the first inning on Thursday, PM’s Kendall Painter got a single on an infield grounder, but Moore struck out the other three batters she faced.
The Wildcats wasted no time getting their offense going. Page Wright doubled on to center field, and Kayleigh Rosson singled on a line drive to center, moving Wright to third base. Eliana Lawrie then doubled to left field to score Wright, giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. The next batter up, Willow Rogers, doubled on a line drive to right field to bring home Rosson and Lawrie, making it 3-0.
The top of the second was similar to the top of the first, with PM getting one hit, a single to left field by Patience Hill, but Moore striking out the other three batters. The Wildcats scored four runs in the bottom of the second to extend their lead to 7-0. Harley Tomlin and Rosson each singled to bring in a run, and Wright scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Lawrie. Rogers then singled on a line drive to right field to drive in Rosson.
RC SENIOR Sadie Moore unleashes a pitch. Moore pitched all five innings, striking out 12 and allowing three hits and no walks in the shutout. (Stephanie Mikels Blevins photo)
WILDCAT SENIOR shortstop Bella Dorey crouches for a catch while PM sophomore Patience Hill slides into the bag. Hill had one of the Blues’ three hits. (Stephanie Mikels Blevins photo)
After three more strikeouts by Moore, the Wildcats scored two more runs in the bottom of the third to stretch their lead to 9-0. Dorey scored on a groundout by Rosson, and Lawrie singled on a line drive to center field to bring home Wright.
The Wildcats put the game away in the fourth inning by erupting for eight runs. Dorey brought in Brooke Hostetter with a single to center field, and Moore doubled to center field to drive in Dorey and Lilly Thomas. Lawrie then brought in Moore with a double to center field, and Landrey Campbell tripled to left field to drive in Lawrie and courtesy runner Gracie Pelter. Campbell scored the final run of the game on a single to right field by Hostetter.
In the top of the fifth, the Wildcats ended the game early due to the 10-run mercy rule, with a groundout, a strikeout and a catch by Dorey, their shortstop.
The Wildcats racked up 18 hits. “We are on a roll,” said RC head coach Keston Pelter.
Lawrie and Hostetter led RC with three hits each, and Lawrie paced the Wildcats with six RBIs. Recording two hits each for the Wildcats were Dorey, Wright, Rosson and Rogers.
Commending the Wildcats, PM head coach Troy Clark said, “They hit the ball. They put the ball in play, and their pitcher did a great job, but right now we’re young. We need to get our confidence. We’ve got several things we need to work on.”
For PM, Painter, Hill and Zoey Tolley each had one hit. There were no errors in the game.
On the mound for the Blues was freshman Caroline Watts. In 3.2 innings, Watts struck out two while allowing 18 hits, four walks and 17 runs. Painter, a junior, came to the mound in the bottom of the fourth for the final out, a groundout.
Praising Watts, PM head coach Troy Clark said, “I thought she pitched pretty well. There were several times when we didn’t make plays, when we should’ve made the plays and we didn’t. Defensively, I think we let her down a little bit.”
Of the Blues, Pelter said, “They’ll get there. They’ve got promise, with Caroline pitching. I’m proud of her. I know it’s hard – the nerves and going against upperclassmen – but we’ve been there before, but they’re gonna be fine, too.”
The Wildcats and Blues are scheduled to meet again at PM on Tuesday, April 21, at 5 p.m.
Pleased by the strong start, Pelter said she had high hopes for this season. After seven years in the Valley District, the Wildcats have moved to the Shenandoah District, with shorter travel distances between district opponents.
Last year, the Wildcats went 7-11 overall and 5-8 in the Valley District, advancing to the Region 3C tournament. As the 12th seed, the Wildcats concluded their season with a 10-0 loss at fifth-seeded Brookville in the first round of the Region 3C tournament. From that team, RC graduated two seniors, catcher Parker Dameron and right fielder Cameron Terry.
The Wildcats return 11 players, led by senior co-captains Dorey, Moore and Rogers. Moore was an all-district second- team selection the last two years. RC is an experienced squad, with seven seniors, four juniors and one sophomore. The only first-year varsity player is Lawrie.
“A lot of these girls we have, this is our third or fourth season with them,” said Pelter, starting her seventh year as RC’s head coach. “We told them, this year, no excuses. We’re in a new district. Our competition’s right there for us. I’m happy with the group that we’ve had. We’ve had good practices. We’ve told them to go out there and have fun. We said, one practice at a time, one game at a time, one win at a time.”
Returning to serve as the Wildcats’ assistant coaches are Wayne Beverley, Pelter’s father, and Cari Mayton, a 2017 RC graduate who played softball for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats were scheduled to play at Staunton last Friday, but that game was postponed due to rain and has been rescheduled for Monday, April 13, at 5:30 p.m. RC was slated to start Shenandoah District action at Wilson Memorial on Monday before playing host to district rival Waynesboro yesterday. They’re scheduled to continue district action at Stuarts Draft on Thursday before playing host to Buffalo Gap on Monday, with both games set for 5:30 p.m.
The Blues were scheduled to start Pioneer District action at home against Eastern Montgomery on Tuesday and will continue district action at home against Highland County on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
PM FRESHMAN Caroline Watts winds up before releasing a pitch. Watts pitched the first 3.2 innings, striking out two while allowing 18 hits, four walks and 17 runs. (Stephanie Mikels Blevins photo)
