Photos by Jenn King
James River was at home to open the baseball season Monday and the Knights got off to a good start with a dominating win over Parry McCluer. River broke things wide open with 10 fourth-inning runs in a 17-1 rout.
“It feels great to get a win out of the way early this year,” said second year head coach Chance Henry. “We really set the tone on the mound. Kody Park gave us four strong innings with minimal damage. He threw strikes the whole game and gave us a chance to play behind him.”
Park picked up the win with four innings of work, striking out six and allowing just three hits. The offense spotted him a 7-1 lead with four runs in the first and three more in the second. Then, the floodgates opened with 10 more in the bottom of the fourth as River won by slaughter-rule. Evan Joyce struck out the side in the top of the fifth to end the game.
The Knights had 20 hits, including three each by Evan Byers, Cam Saunders, Carter Birckhead and Joyce. Jeremiah Mays, Byers and Saunders scored three runs each and Saunders drove in three.
“Offensively, we did a great job of controlling the zone and not getting ourselves out,” said Henry. “As a coaching staff we’ve really pushed being positive and believing in ourselves early this season and tonight’s game was a great showing of the work we’ve put in as a team. We have a couple keys guys hurt right now so being able to have the next man step up tonight was awesome.”
River is back on the diamond Thursday for a game at Bath County, then they return the trip to Parry McCluer Friday before taking off for spring break.
