The James River softball team saw the season come to an end when the Knights traveled to Richlands on June 5 for the Class 2 State Quarterfinal. Despite a determined effort against last year’s state runner-up squad, the Knights came up a run short, 2-1.
“Pitching-wise and defensively, we couldn’t have played much better,” said River coach Steve Austin. “Our plan was to stay down in the zone, work the corners, and try to get ground balls. We put a lot of emphasis on cutting down lead runners so we could keep them out of scoring position. We did that five times in the game and we didn’t make any errors.”
After stranding a runner on second base in the top of the first, the visitors got in trouble with two outs in the home first. A single by Katlyn Baldwin and a walk to Emma Crawford set up Ginger Short, who singled to center scoring Baldwin and putting the Blue Tornado up 1-0. A well-executed 7-6-4 relay by the Knights caught Crawford off second base to end the threat.
The game stayed at 1-0 through the fifth inning as Richlands pitcher Mac Osborne and James River hurler Kaitlin Simmons took over the contest. Osborne had allowed only three base runners, all by walks, up to that point. Simmons had scattered four hits through four full innings before running into trouble in the home fifth.
Chloe Newberry lined a one-out single to center and was sacrificed to second by Lauren Earls. Baldwin then got a big hit with two outs, scoring Newberry. Simmons followed by striking out clean-up hitter Crawford for the third out, but it was 2-0 Richlands after five full.
Down to their last at bat in the seventh inning, and still without a hit against Osborne, the Knights rallied. Evie Melvin doubled to the centerfield fence on a 3-2 pitch. She was replaced by pinch runner Ainsley Simmons. Josey Lackey followed with another double, plating Simmons. Erin Peery then sacrificed pinch runner Anna Schroeder to third with one out.
Pinch hitter Madison Brogan was up next and she attempted a safety squeeze bunt, but the ball was caught in the air by Osborne. Alyson McCullough was then retired on strikes to end the well-played game, leaving the Knights a run short.
Kaitlin Simmons pitched extremely well against the hard-hitting Blue Tornado squad, giving up a total of six singles with five strikeouts, two walks, and a hit batter.
“Kaitlin Simmons was exceptional for us in such a big game against a formidable line up,” said Austin. “She improved all year long, not only mechanically, but mentally. She was a rock for us and her gutsy performances helped carry our team down the stretch”.
Osborne, a first team All-State pitcher as a freshman in 2017, allowed just the two doubles, struck out 11, walked four, and hit one.
Richlands was state runnerup again, to Page County who didn’t allow a run in 3 state games.
James River’s season came to a close at 14-9. The Knights did win nine of their last 13 games as they made their state tournament run. James River is set to return seven players in 2019 who started for the last month of this season.
“I’m very thankful to my coaches who worked so hard with these kids to help them achieve their goal of making the state tournament,” said Austin. “We didn’t get all the way to where we wanted to, but it wasn’t because of a lack of trying.
“I’m so proud of our James River team. I wouldn’t be any prouder had we won and I really mean that.”
