James River’s softball team pounded out 23 hits in racing away from Giles 23-0 in five innings last Friday evening in Pearisburg.
Photo by Brian Hoffman
The Knights took advantage of five walks and added six hits in scoring nine runs in the first inning of play. The first inning took over an hour to play because of the River outburst and a lightning delay.
In a bizarre third inning, the Spartans retired the first two Knight batters before the visitors sent 12 additional hitters to the plate and collected nine hits and 10 runs stretching the lead to 19-0 after 2-1/2 innings.
Ainsley Simmons pitched a complete game, five-inning, one hit shutout for James River. Simmons struck out five, walked three, and hit one batter.
Cameron Hildebrand (4 runs) and Simmons (4 RBIs) had four hits apiece to lead the Knights. Lacey Lucado (4 RBIs) and Josey Lackey (3 RBIs) had three hits each. Lakota Lucado, Aly McCullough, and Payton Kreklow stroked two hits each.
James River improved to 6-7, 3-3, with the road win.
“This was one of those games where everything went right for us and everything went wrong for Giles,” said River coach Steve Austin.
River’s trip to Glenvar on Tuesday was no walk in the park, at least for the Knights. The Highlanders were the recipient of 13 walks and two hit batters as they outdistanced the visitors by a score of 11-5.
Erin Peery had two hits to lead James River and Aly McCullough, Lacey, and Lakota Lucado had one hit each. Cameron Hildebrand reached base three times on walks.
Simmons pitched one inning plus four batters and took the loss. Lacey Lucado pitched the last five innings allowing three runs, one earned, two hits, with two strikeouts, four walks, and a hit batter.
“It was a strange contest that in many ways reminded me of rec ball games that I coached in over 25 years ago, though saying that might be a disservice to rec ball,” said Austin.
The Knights were scheduled to play Alleghany on Tuesday, and Friday they’re at Radford.
