The Lord Botetourt softball team is red hot. The Cavaliers are 10-3 overall and tied for first place in the Blue Ridge District after handing William Byrd its first loss last Thursday, then sweeping a doubleheader from Cave Spring on Monday.

Byrd was 12-0 heading to Daleville last week, and in the first meeting between the two BRD rivals the Terriers whipped up on LB, 10-0 in five innings. That didn’t sit well with the Cavaliers and they vowed for revenge Thursday. And, they got it with a 2-1 win.

Maia Folk got the Cavaliers rolling in the bottom of the second with a solo home run to left off Byrd ace Mara Strum. Byrd tied the game in the top of the third, but LB answered in the bottom of the inning. Maegan Barnes doubled, moved to third on an infield out and scored on Lauren Hoffman’s single.

That was all the scoring in the game, which turned into a pitchers’ duel between Strum and LB’s Meredith Wells. The Cavaliers loaded the bases in the sixth but could not score, while Byrd left the sacks loaded in the fourth and stranded a leadoff double in the sixth that was the potential tying run.

“That was a big win for us,” said LB’s Cheryl Shockley. “Meredith was throwing fire.”

Wells finished with six strikeouts against a talented Byrd lineup, allowing just one walk and scattering six hits. LB had eight hits off Strum, with Hoffman and Hannah Mundy getting two each.

With the win LB split the home-and-home series with Byrd and tied the Terriers in the loss column in the BRD standings, as both teams have just one district loss.

On Monday the Big Red Machine continued to crank out wins with a doubleheader sweep of Cave Spring, 3-2 and 3-1 in Roanoke County. Wells pitched the first game and went the distance while Kenleigh Gunter had a solo home run, her first as a varsity player.

In the nightcap all three runs came in the bottom of the fourth, as LB was the home team for this makeup game. Barnes led off with a walk, advanced on a wild pitch and was driven in by a Wells double to left center field. Folk followed up with a single to left and then stole second. With two ducks on the pond Mundy singled to center to drive them both in.

Hoffman pitched and picked up with the win with a three-hitter, walking just one.

The Cavs are back in action today with a 5 p.m. game at Rockbridge. On Friday Staunton River is here for a district game, also beginning at 5 p.m.