Zeal Hammons had three hits for River and also picked up the win on the mound, pitching five innings and striking out six. Aiden Shotwell pitched a scoreless sixth in his first varsity appearance before the game was called due to “slaughter rule.”
Heath Andrews, John Austin and Jonas Wilkes had two hits each for River. Wilkes knocked in three runs and Dalton Hall scored three times from the leadoff position as the Knights picked up their first win in three tries.
Last week, River dropped two close ones to open the season. In the season opener at home they lost to Rockbridge, 8-6, despite banging out 12 hits. Colin Cook, Andrews, Austin and Hammons had two hits each. Andrews had a home run and a double. Hammons, Hunter Mays and Hall split time on the mound with Hammons taking the loss.
Last Thursday the Knights entertained Salem and lost another close one, 3-1, as Andrews and Salem’s Trent Judd hooked up in a good old-fashioned pitching duel. Andrews pitched four scoreless innings before being relieved by Jonas Wilkes in the fifth. Jonas kept the shutout alive for two innings before Salem touched him for three in the top of the seventh.
Meanwhile, Salem’s Judd took a no-hitter into the bottom of the seventh. Andrews broke that up with a double and River had the tying runs on board with just one out before Hall hit a bullet to the right side that was speared by Spartan first baseman Eli Bowery, who stepped on first to double off the runner and end the game.
The Knights will be back in action Thursday at Staunton River, then play at Northside Friday.