The James River softball team is 11-7 after a busy week of action, including a split of a doubleheader against Christiansburg in Springwood Monday.
The Blue Demons, playing as the home team in game one, held off a furious Knight rally to win by a score of 7-6. In game two, James River made a three run third inning stand up as they beat Christiansburg 4-1.
In the first contest the Knights left 11 base runners in five innings and gave up three unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth. River left the bases loaded in three different innings.
Cameron Hildebrand led the Knights with three hits including a double and two RBIs. Lacey Lucado reached base all four times including on an RBI single. Sara Faust had two singles.
In game two Kaitlin Simmons scattered four hits with one strikeout, one walk and two hit batters on her way to the 4-1 win. Both Faust and Evie Melvin had RBI singles to lead the game-two heroics.
Monday’s doubleheader came about when both the Knights and Blue Demons lost games due to inclement weather in the Botetourt Bash.
“In the first game tonight we stranded 11 runners in five innings,” said River coach Steve Austin. “That’s the story of that contest.”
Last Thursday and Friday the Knights played back-to-back games against Three Rivers opponents, losing 4-1 at Floyd before bouncing back to bounce Radford 16-6 on Friday.
Floyd County used a combination of seven hits and two James River errors to beat the Knights. The Buffalos had four doubles and three singles but three of their four runs were unearned.
Lakota Lucado had three singles, Cameron Hildebrand walked three times and scored the only run, and Melvin had an RBI for River. Kaitlin Simmons allowed the seven hits, struck out two, walked two and hit one batter.
“We were disappointed,” said Austin. “We had an opportunity to become relevant in our district race with a win but it wasn’t our day. We needed to play our best and we didn’t. The credit goes to Floyd. That’s why they’re leading our league. They find a way to win.”
On Friday, Lauren Mayhew’s three run home run highlighted a seven-run outburst in the bottom of the fifth inning as James River pulled away from Radford 16-6 in six innings. All seven runs scored after two outs as the Knights collected six straight hits, capped by the Mayhew blast.
The Knights collected 19 hits, three each by Josey Lackey and Erin Peery. Lackey also had four RBIs. Lacey Lucado, Hildebrand, and Melvin had two hits each.
Kaitlin Simmons pitched all six innings allowing six hits, with no strikeouts and four walks. Three of the six runs were earned.
“It was just good to win after a tough loss the night before at Floyd,” said Austin. “We didn’t play consistently, nor all that well, but fortunately our positive spurts were pretty significant”.
River now has a home-and-home with Carroll County. The Knights are home tonight and got to Hillsville Friday.
“We have played five games since last Tuesday with only one practice day,” said Austin. “We really need to get back on the practice field to try to clean up some things that have hindered us as of late.”
