The Lord Botetourt and James River softball teams were both alive in region tournaments this week as the paper went to press. River was scheduled to host a game on Tuesday in the Region 2C quarterfinals while LB advanced to tonight’s semifinal round in Region 3D with a 12-6 win over Tunstall in Daleville Monday night.
The Cavaliers, the third seed in the region, will host Carroll County tonight at LB at 6 p.m. Carroll is the seventh seed but they advanced with an upset win over second seeded Northside on Monday. Tonight’s winners will play for the Region 3D championship on Friday at the site of the highest remaining seed, and the winner advances to next week’s state tournament.
Botetourt got three hits each from Makena Shupe and Gianna Sloan-Lebron in Monday’s win, and both also had three runs batted in. Jackson Kemper had two hits and Hailey Deter had a double.
Rhyann Jones picked up the win on the mound with nine strikeouts. Jones has pitched every inning for LB this season as the Cavaliers have won six of their last seven games after starting off 2-3. They ended the regular season with a 10-0 slaughter rule win over county rival James River last Thursday in Springwood.
Jones, who only allowed one hit and a walk against River, also had a two-run homer to help her cause in the fourth inning. Sloan-Lebron and Deter had three hits apiece for Lord Botetourt.
The Knights failed to win for the first time in nine games, when they lost at Lord Botetourt. The Knights slipped to 8-4 overall with the loss and 8-2 in Three Rivers District play.
“Clearly, the best team today won,” said River coach Steve Austin. “They played really well and I give them the credit. Jones was really good on the mound. I wish them luck in the post season.”
James River was scheduled to open the Region 2C tournament at home on Tuesday, but results were too late for publication. River is the fourth seed and was to host the winner of a Monday game between fifth seeded Alleghany and 12th seeded Gretna. River split with Alleghany during the regular season.
Tuesday’s winner advances to Thursday’s region semifinal round at Appomattox, the undefeated top seed in the tournament.
