After a quick out in the top of the first inning, a Hannah Mundy single was sandwiched between two Knight errors, followed by consecutive singles by Kloe Bacon, Laura Hoffman, Meredith Wells, and Kenleigh Gunter as LB plated four quick runs.

James River loaded the bases with one out in the second on a walk and singles by Josey Lackey and Erin Peery, but LB pitcher Meredith Wells stiffened and struck out two straight hitters to end the threat.

The game settled down with Knight pitcher Kaitlin Simmons retiring 11 consecutive batters through the fifth inning. Then, in the bottom of the fifth, River used a walk and back-to-back doubles by sisters Lakota and Lacey Lucado to push two runs across. Evie Melvin’s sinking liner to left field fell safely, sending in the third Knight run to cut the deficit to 4-3 after five innings.

On the first pitch of the sixth inning, Wells launched a home run to left center field, changing the momentum of the game and pushing the lead back to two runs. Simmons retired the next two batters before a single, a walk and an error led to three additional unearned runs to push the lead to 8-3.

A Lauren Hoffman solo homer for LB and a Sara Faust RBI grounder in the seventh for River added runs for both teams to account for the final score. Hoffman had three hits and her homer was the sixth of the season for the LB team in just four games.

Wells pitched a complete game for the winning Cavaliers, scattering six hits while striking out four and walking four. Simmons was the losing pitcher, allowing nine hits in 6-1/3 innings and seven runs, but only two earned.

“I’m proud of my kids for settling down and fighting to get back in the game after falling down by four runs so early,” said River coach Steve Austin. “I know that we had a handful of errors, including two miscues in the first inning that opened the door for their fast start. But we don’t get many strikeouts so we will commit more errors by default. Unfortunately, when we play one of the best programs in our area like LB, we have to be almost perfect on defense to have a chance to win, and we were not.”

The Cavaliers continued their perfect season, running their record to 4-0 with the win. LB also played Salem last Wednesday at the Moyer Complex in Salem and took a 16-5 win. Bacon had three home runs in the game, including two in the seventh inning. Wells also had a homer and Mundy was five-for-five in the game as Botetourt pounded out 17 hits against Salem pitcher Reagan Owens. Maia Folk picked up the win on the mound.

River picked up two wins last week with home-and-home victories over Parry McCluer, an arch rival in the Pioneer District before the Knights moved to the Three Rivers. River won 5-1 in Springwood on Wednesday, then took a 4-1 win in Buena Vista on Friday.

In the home game Sara Faust had the biggest hit, a two-out, two-run double. Simmons scattered six hits and coaxed 12 ground ball outs in picking up her first varsity victory in complete game fashion. Simmons struck out one batter, walked three, and hit two batters.

“Kaitlin was really good, given the weather, and her performance gave us the opportunity to win,” said Austin. “We need to start hitting the ball better, though, if we expect to win many more games”.

On Friday the Knights stuck for all of their runs in the fourth. After a Parry McCluer error, Lacey Lucado singled to left field and took second on the throw. Faust followed with a two-run single. Madison Brogan and Rachel Kickuth later contributed RBI hits to complete the big inning.

Lacey Lucado led James River with three hits. Faust, Brogan, Kickuth, Lakota Lucado, Josey Lackey, and Evie Melvin had one hit each. Simmons scattered four hits, striking out four, walking two, and hitting one batter. Kaitlin was cruising along with a shutout after six innings but she had to work out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the seventh.

“This was our third game in three days. I can’t commend Kaitlin Simmons strongly enough for shouldering most of the pitching load in this grueling stretch,” said Austin. “This is uncharted waters for her but she is handling the challenge very well.”

The win lifted River to 3-2 on the season.

“We gutted out a win in a historically tough place for us to play,” said Austin. “It’s nice for our kids to go into spring break on a high note.”

River will return to action next Tuesday, April 10, with a game at Giles.

Lord Botetourt is back in action Saturday with an 11 a.m. home game against Liberty. That’s a varsity game only, and the Minutewomen will be a challenge for the undefeated Cavs. Then, on Tuesday of next week, LB is at undefeated William Byrd as the girls return from break.

“We’ll see what we’re made of in these next two games,” said LB coach Cheryl Shockley.