Photos by Brian Hoffman
The James River softball team will play Glenvar for the third time in 11 days to open the Region 2C tournament. The Knights will play at Glenvar on Thursday at 5 p.m.
Last week the Knights hosted the Highlanders on Monday, May 19, and lost 3-1 in Springwood. Two days later at Glenvar, River hit the ball much better but so did the Highlanders, as Glenvar took a 12-5 win.
“The final tally was not indicative of most of the game, which was highly contested,” said River coach Steve Austin.
River led this one 4-3 into the home fifth. Then, with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Glenvar’s Audrey Moles hit a hard infield single to shortstop. A single by Abby Teubert and an intentional walk to Hannah Street preceded a huge base hit to right field by Haley Leginus. The hit, compounded by a Knight error, led to all three base runners and Leginus scoring on the play. Three more, two-out consecutive singles put the home team ahead 8-4 after five innings.
“Definitely a disappointing chain of events with two outs in the fifth inning,” said Austin. “We were playing very well and our pitcher (Makenna Saville) was in rhythm. We were seemingly on our way to the sixth with the lead and things spiraled out of control. We cracked the door open and they kicked it in.”
Saville had retired eight of nine batters before the two-out events began in the home fifth. River finished with seven hits spread among seven girls, including a home run by Caitlyn Downey.
River was back on the bus Thursday for a doubleheader at Radford. The Knights got back in the saddle with a sweep of two five-inning games, winning the opener, 5-1, then taking the nightcap, 16-1, in a game that was stopped after four innings. Ella Hutchens, Chloe Joynes and Makenna Saville had three hits each. Hutchens did the heavy lifting with a three-run home run, a double, single, and five RBIs. Joynes had two doubles and three RBIs. Downey had two hits, including a triple.
“I was concerned because we were down two starters for the night due to injury and illness, leaving us with nine players, and we had to move a lot of people around,” said Austin. “We got contributions from everyone on the squad. These wins were a boost after two disappointing losses to Glenvar earlier in the week.”
James River traveled for the third straight day on Friday, falling to Carroll County in Hillsville, 3-2. The Knights only mustered three base runners in the first six innings on two infield hits and a hit batter. Knights’ pitcher Saville was the tough luck loser, scattering nine hits and allowing two earned runs.
“It was a tough night for us at the end of a long week,” said Austin. “We were a little down on energy, but we battled to the end. Like most close games, one play here or there could have put the win in the other column.”
With the loss River fell to 12-8 overall and 3-8 in Three Rivers District games. The Knights were scheduled to wrap up the regular season Tuesday at Patrick County but that game was in doubt at press time due to rain.
