The James River softball team was knocked from the ranks of the unbeaten last Friday and it came at the hands of the their Botetourt County rivals. Host Lord Botetourt defeated the Knights, 7-2, in Daleville.
“This game was particularly special to the girls,” said LB coach Megan DeHart. “Not only was it a county rivalry, but we got to honor a group of students at Lord Botetourt that are near to the girls’ hearts, the Botetourt Buddies. The girls took the game very seriously and knew it was something they needed to work hard for in order to get the W.”
The game was picked up in the home half of the first inning after it was interrupted by rain on April 5 and rescheduled for Friday. The weather could not have been more different with temperatures in the 80s with bright sunshine and a big crowd on hand.
The Cavaliers struck quickly, turning an error and three hits into three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Jackson Kemper reached on an error and Mikayla Reed singled to center. Rhyann Jones singled in Kemper and Gianna Sloan-Lebron doubled in Reed and courtesy runner Kayla Walker.
In the second frame Autumn Russell blooped a double to right field to lead off and scored on a fielding error to make it 4-0 before the Knights showed some life in the top of the third. Jenna Pugh walked and Lexi McCullough and Elly Lackey reached on bunts. Pugh scored on an errant throw made after Lackey’s bunt. The Cavaliers shut the rally down with just one run by throwing out a runner at the plate and getting two strikeouts from Jones.
Lord Botetourt retaliated with two runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 6-1 lead. The Knights made three more errors, allowing the bases to become loaded setting up a Russell two-run single.
James River closed to 6-2 in the fifth when Austyn Moran’s hard, tough hop single up the middle scored McCullough, who had walked. In the bottom of the fifth Botetourt scored their final run as a Kemper singled to right, plating Handley Evans who had singled earlier. Knights’ right fielder Ripley Barry cut down Russell at the plate trying to score for the final out.
Lord Botetourt had eight hits for the game, led by two each from Jones and Russell. River had seven hits, one each by seven different players.
Jones pitched a complete game for the home squad with seven strikeouts and four walks. Moran pitched a complete game for the visitors with six strikeouts and no walks. She allowed only two earned runs as she lost for the first time this season.
With the victory, the Cavaliers climbed to 9-1 and the Knights fell to 9-1 with the loss.
“Credit to Lord Botetourt,” said River coach Steve Austin. “They played better than we did and they deserved to win. They worked their way out of jams in the first, second, third, and fifth innings when we had two runners on with one out or less – twice with double plays. They hit the ball consistently and took advantage of many of our mistakes.”
River also played Parry McCluer last week and took an 11-1 win over the Blues in Buena Vista. Elly Lackey had three hits, two RBIs, and two runs scored. Kaycee Kincaid had two hits, three RBIs, and three runs scored. The Knights were scheduled to be at Alleghany Tuesday, home to Floyd Friday and at Glenvar next Monday, May 2.
“We are about half way through our regular season with a lot of games stacked near the end,” said Austin. “There is no one left that we can’t beat and there is no one left that can’t beat us. It is imperative that we get to work in practice and look only forward. I’ll say again that we will have to earn anything we get the rest of the way.”
Lord Botetourt had a good week prior to the win over River. They swept a doubleheader at William Fleming on Tuesday, April 19, 10-0 and 19-0. Grace Thomas and Hadley Evans had homers. A night later the girls beat Hidden Valley in Daleville, 7-1.
The Cavaliers had a big district game at Staunton River on Tuesday of this week but results were too late for publication. LB came into the week leading the BRD with a 5-0 district record and Staunton River was 3-0 in the district and 12-0 overall. The girls are at William Byrd on Friday.