The James River softball team is 3-1 on the season and 1-0 in the Three Rivers District after defeating Radford, 11-1, in Springwood Friday. Makenna Saville pitched a five-inning complete game, striking out two and walking none while throwing 35 of 49 pitches for strikes.
“Makenna threw strikes and we did not commit an error,” said River coach Steve Austin. “Defensively, that was pretty much the story. They didn’t hit many balls hard.”
Caitlyn Downey led the offense for the Knights with three hits, including a double, while scoring three runs. Sydnee Breeding had two hits and two runs scored. Sierra Ware had two hits and an RBI. Gracie Cash had a pinch hit, walkoff, two-run single in the bottom of the fifth.
“Patience is a virtue and our offense has been exceptionally patient the past couple of games,” said Austin. “We’ve worked a lot of counts and that has resulted in getting some good pitches to hit and some free passes.”
Last week the Knight broke open a 3-3 game at Bassett to race to a 17-3 win. With two outs and one on in the fourth, Downey and Breeding hit consecutive doubles, followed by singles by Ella Hutchens, Keira Crawford and Kaylee Harlow to plate four runs.
After reliever Laken Robinson pitched a scoreless fourth, the Knights struck for four more runs in the top of the fifth inning. Three Bengal errors were supplemented by hits by Downey and Crawford.
The visitors then put the game away in the sixth inning with six runs highlighted by hits by Breeding, Crawford, Cash, Robinson, Tobyann Windsor, and Karly Mines.
Robinson threw three innings of scoreless relief to pick up the victory. Breeding, Crawford, and Harlow had three hits and three RBIs. Twelve of the 13 players who batted for the Knights had at least one hit.
Photos by Brian Hoffman
“I always say nothing is easy and this one wasn’t for a long time,” said Austin. “Had we not battled our way out of some really bad situations early we would have been down several runs.”
The Knights also started a game at home with Northside last week but it was halted by storms with River leading 8-0 in the second inning. It will be completed from that point when the Knights visit Northside in May.
River is at Glenvar on Friday, followed by a home game with Liberty next Monday.
