Matt Oliver and Brae Farrell combined to pitch Lord Botetourt over James River in the first of two intra-county baseball games this season. The Cavaliers took a 12-3 win in Springwood.
Oliver went the first four innings to pick up the win and Farrell pitched one-hit ball over the last three to earn a save. Jake Braun took the loss for River, as the Cavaliers struck for eight runs in the first two innings, only four of which were earned. Kevin Theimer and Gabe Sebastino also pitched for the Knightrs.
Offensively, Farrell went three-for-four with two doubles and a run batted in for LB. Connor Fuhrman and Colston Powers had two hits each, and Braun had two hits and drove in a run for River.
The win was the second of four straight for Lord Botetourt, who continued the hot streak with a win at Pulaski last Thursday. The Cavs won an 18-12 slugfest after trailing 12-10 after six innings. Farrell, Jake Dewease, Fuhrman, and Oliver all had three hits. Dewease had five RBIs and Fuhrman hit a solo home run. Jared Arnholt pitched the final four innings in relief of Nick Lancaster and got the win.
On Monday in Bedford the Cavaliers swept the season series with Liberty, winning 10-1. Oliver picked up another win, going five inning and allowing just two hits while fanning five. Ramsey Vassar pitched two shutout innings to mop up. Powers had an RBI double and Fuhrman drove in three runs.
The four-game streak improved LB’s record to 5-3 on the season and the Cavaliers were scheduled to play at Staunton River Tuesday, followed by a home game with Pulaski on Friday.
James River bounced back from the loss to LB with a 10-0 shutout win over Alleghany in Springwood last Thursday. It was the first win of the season for the Knights and the first varsity win for head coach Matt Gouker.
McAllister pitched the shutout, allowing the Mountaineers just one hit while fanning 13 in a dominating outing. Braun, Sebastino, Andrew Bridges and Ryan Pugh had two hits each for the Knights.
“The Knights put things together behind the pitching of Dyllan McAllister,” said Gouker. “He showed a lot of grit on the mound and the bats also came alive with a 13-hit game. Several of our guys had multi hits which helped up get our first win of the season.”
On Friday River was on the other end of a shutout with a 3-0 loss to Parry McCluer, and Monday the Knights fell to 1-6 on the season with a 10-9 loss to the Buffaloes in Floyd County. Bridges had three hits and Sebastino, Braun, Zac Cahoon and Kahlique White had two hits each in a losing effort.
River is at Glenvar Friday for a Three Rivers District game.