The James River baseball team saw their season come to an end with a 3-0 loss to visiting Dan River in Springwood last Friday. The game was close all the way, with the Knights trailing just 1-0 after five innings.
“We just couldn’t really help ourselves in this one,” said coach Chance Henry. “Cam (Saunders) did a great job on the mound and again Levi (Peck) did well to come in and pound the zone at the end. But you can’t win when you don’t score.”
The Knights had some good opportunities to score through the middle part of the game but couldn’t push a run across.
“We had a few balls hit really well but right at guys, and they made every play they were given,” said Henry. “It was impressive to see. Once you get to regions teams don’t usually beat themselves and credit to Dan River, they did a great job on defense and did enough to scratch across a couple.”
Saunders struck out eight and allowed just one earned run over six innings. The Knights had just four hits, two by Ben Lawson.
“This loss hurt more than others just because we are a good enough team to make a run,” said Henry. “We have the energy and everyone was ready to go, we just couldn’t pull thru.”
River finished the season with a 13-11 record.
Photos by Jenn King
“It was a fun year, probably one of my most enjoyable,” said Henry. “Our team really came together and we had guys pulling for each other. I think this year we had three different sophomores and seven different freshmen play in varsity games for us, which bodes well for our future.
“Lastly, a huge thank you to our three seniors, Colt Cook, Ben Lawson and Maddox Woodyard. They are exemplary people and have made us a better program than when they entered it. It has been a pleasure to coach them but even more so to get to know them as young men.”
