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Taking on challenging nondistrict opponents, the Rockbridge County High School baseball team suffered a pair of home losses last week, falling to Fort Defiance 16-7 last Tuesday and to Alleghany 9-3 last Wednesday.
With last Tuesday’s win, Fort completed a sweep of the regular-season series with the Wildcats (1-3). ). Five days earlier, Fort had beaten the visiting Wildcats 4-3. Fort ended last week at 3-1.
In the rematch, the Indians jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and led 6-3 after three innings before scoring seven runs in the fourth to go up 13-3. The Wildcats scored two runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to cut the lead to 13-7, but Fort scored three runs in the final two innings to finish the game.
Reviewing the game, RC head coach Travis Roadcap said, “We struggled again early, but our kids still battled. That’s kind of how we’ve been for a couple of years.”
Moving forward, Roadcap said, “We have to learn to start fast and not be timid, anxious or nervous.”
RC’s first two runs came on line drive single by Thomas Armstrong, bringing home Cohen Paxton and Tucker Hopkins. The Wildcats’ third run was on a double on a fly ball to left field by Hopkins, driving in Derek Smith in the third.
After Fort’s big fourth inning, Clay Irvine hit a two-run home run to left field, driving in Nolan Stines in the bottom of the fourth.
In the fifth, Armstrong grounded out to bring home Paxton, and Hopkins scored on a Fort error.
The Indians racked up 17 hits against four RC pitchers, while the Wildcats had six hits against two Fort pitchers.
Leading Fort with three hits each were Isaac Marshall, Sam Garber and Dillon Lavaway. Kaden Johnson led the Indians with four RBIs and had two hits. Six different Wildcats each had one hit, and Armstrong led RC with three RBIs.
RC and Fort each committed four errors.
AHS 9, RC 3
Facing strong hitting and pitching, the Wildcats suffered a 9-3 home loss to undefeated Alleghany last Wednesday.
Alleghany (4-0), a Class 2 state quarterfinalist last year, jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and stayed comfortably ahead for the rest of the game. The Mountaineers racked up 11 hits, while the Wildcats (1-3), who are in Class 3 with larger schools, had seven hits.
On the mound for Alleghany, Halen Lowman pitched the first five innings, striking out 11 and allowing four hits, two walks and one unearned run. In the final two innings, Anthony Webb struck out one and permitted three hits, no walks and two unearned runs.
For RC, junior Sean Martino pitched the first 5.2 innings, striking out six and allowing nine hits, two walks and eight runs (seven earned). “I thought Sean settled down a lot after the first inning,” said Roadcap. “He did a great job.”
In the final 1.1 innings, freshman Brady Majors gave up two hits, one walk and one earned run.
Alleghany scored its first run in the first when Connor McPeek grounded out to second base to bring home Elijah Weese. The Mountaineers extended their lead to 2-0 when Garrett Via scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Webb. Alleghany added two more runs when Hunter DePriest doubled to center field.
In the bottom of the first, Irvine singled to shortstop, and Smith singled on a line drive to left field to drive home Irvine, cutting Alleghany’s lead to 4-1.
Alleghany extended its lead to 5-1 in the second on a sacrifice fly to center field by Via. With Martino’s pitching and the team’s strong fielding, including several impressive catches in center field by Paxton, the Wildcats kept the Mountaineers scoreless in the next three innings. “Cohen’s a phenomenal kid,” said Roadcap.
In the sixth, Alleghany’s bats came alive again, and the Mountaineers scored three runs to extend their lead to 8-1. Those runs came on a groundout by Dalton Griffith, a double by McPeek, and a single by Via. Alleghany scored its final run in the seventh when Webb ran home on a wild pitch.
With two outs left in the bottom of the seventh, Paxton doubled to right field, bringing home Irvine and Smith, but Paxton was tagged out trying to reach third base.
Smith and Armstrong led the Wildcats with two hits each, while Paxton recorded one hit and two RBIs. Pacing Alleghany with two hits each were Weese, McPeek, Via, DePriest and Wyatt Griffith.
Alleghany committed four errors, while the Wildcats had one.
Reviewing the Wildcats’ performance, Roadcap acknowledged that he has a young team with a lot of room to grow and learn. “There’s nothing to be mad about at all,” he said. “In the past, I’ve been frustrated with some older guys, but with this group, we’re doing the little things right, and sometimes our youth proves itself, but I’m very proud of all of our kids. We’re playing a really tough nondistrict schedule. The only team on our nondistrict schedule that didn’t go to the playoffs was Staunton.”
“It’s really good for our young kids to get that experience this early,” added Roadcap.
RC was scheduled to play host to James River on Friday, but that game was postponed due to rain. The Wildcats were slated to play at Stuarts Draft on Monday and will face Stuarts Draft at home on Thursday at 5 p.m. before playing at James River on Friday at 5 p.m. After spring break next week, the Wildcats will play at Staunton on Monday, April 10, at 5:30 p.m. before starting Valley District action at Harrisonburg on Tuesday, April 11, at 6 p.m.
