The James River Knights have won four straight softball games to get over .500 for the first time this season. River beat Three Rivers District foes Glenvar, Alleghany and Radford to improve to 4-3 in the past week.
Last week began with a 4-1 win at Glenvar on Wednesday. The Highlanders were undefeated to that point but River jumped on them early with two runs in the top of the first inning.
Jenna Pugh set the tone for the visitors with a first pitch double off of the wall in left center, narrowly missing a home run. Freshman Elly Lackey then beat out a bunt before Ainsley Simmons singled in Pugh. With two outs, Austyn Moran singled to score Lackey.
With two outs in the second inning, Pugh singled hard up the middle then scored on Lackey’s triple to deep center field. River picked up its last run in the fourth inning on a lead off single by Kaycee Kincaid, a Lauren Griffin sacrifice bunt, and a sharp hit to right field by the hot-hitting Lackey.
Glenvar had the bases loaded and one run already in in the fourth inning with just one out, but River pitcher Moran stiffened and struck out the final two batters. Glenvar had three of its five hits in this frame. Moran also worked out of a one-out bases-loaded situation in the fifth inning, enticing the final two hitters to pop up to third base and shortstop.
Lackey and Moran both had three hits in the game as River banged out 11 hits in the and left nine runners on base. Glenvar stranded 10 runners as Moran scattered five hits while striking out six and walking five, two intentionally.
The win avenged a prior loss to Glenvar and on Friday it was more of the same as the Knights beat an Alleghany team they had lost to, 10-4, in a previous meeting in Low Moor. This time the Knights prevailed, 6-1.
The Knights pounded out nine hits including two each by Pugh and Lexi McCullough, who hit a long home run in the fifth. Moran scattered six hits on the mound while striking out six hitters and walking none. In her 107 pitch effort, she worked out of serious jams in the first and fourth innings. In the fourth inning, with runners on second and third with no outs, she struck out three in a row.
On Monday at home the Knights slaughter ruled Radford, 17-0. Senior Lacey Lucado went three-for-three, including a first inning three-run home run to lead James River to the fourth win in a row. Lucado scored three runs and had four RBIs.
Moran and Lackey had two hits apiece in only two innings of play. The Knights had 13 hits and drew eight walks.
Simmons went the distance on the mound, allowing only one hit while striking out seven and walking one as the Knights improved to 4-3 on the season and 4-2 in Three Rivers District play.
“It’s a good feeling to get ourselves over .500 for the first time this year,” said Austin. “We took care of business today and we are improving, but we still have lots of work to do. We have a very important game at Floyd County on Friday and that’s where our focus is now. We will have to play our best to win up there.”
