.jpg)
In a challenging week, the Rockbridge County High School softball team lost a pair of nondistrict games to Stuarts Draft, falling 3-1 last Monday at Draft and suffering a 9-0 home loss on Thursday.
At Draft (5-2), the Wildcats (1-5) took a tough hit when freshman starting pitcher Sadie Moore suffered a knee injury running to second base, keeping her out for the rest of the week.
“It was a tough week with the injury and setback for Sadie,” said RC head coach Keston Pelter. “She works so hard on the mound for us, and I think the whole team is feeling the void.”
Before she was injured, Moore pitched the first three innings of last Monday’s game, striking out three and allowing three hits, two walks and one unearned run.
Junior Marla Zollman, normally a second baseman, came to the mound to replace Moore in the fourth inning and pitched for three innings. Zollman struck out four and surrendered one hit, one walk and two runs (one earned).
The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, and the Wildcats tied the game 1-1 in the fourth. Draft added two more runs in the sixth and prevented the Wildcats from scoring any more runs.
The Wildcats managed just three hits and struck out 12 times. Recording one hit each for RC were Moore, Page Wright and Kelsie Caldwell.
Lillian Krieg led Draft with two hits, while Amelia Bartley and Tarynn Morris each had one hit.
The Wildcats committed five errors, while the Cougars had three.
SD 8, RC 0
Racking up 12 hits, Stuarts Draft captured an 8-0 win at RC on Thursday.
The Cougars scored two runs in the first, two in the third, one each the fourth and fifth, and two in the sixth. Gracie Martin and Allie Brooks led Draft with three hits each, while McKenzie Tillman added two hits.
Kaydence Wilson paced RC with two hits, and Caldwell added one hit.
Draft got a strong outing on the mound from Tillman, who pitched all seven innings, striking out six and allowing three hits, two walks and no runs.
For RC, Zollman pitched a complete game, striking out 10 and surrendering 12 hits, six walks and eight runs (five earned). “Marla has stepped up and worked hard for us, especially Thursday,” said Pelter. “With her variety of pitches and being left-handed it can throw batters off. She has stayed poised under pressure, and [catcher] Parker [Dameron] frames the spots really well behind the plate for her.”
The Wildcats committed four errors, while Draft had none.
RC was scheduled to play at James River on Friday, but that game was postponed due to rain. After spring break this week, the Wildcats will play at Staunton on Monday before starting Valley District action at Harrisonburg on Tuesday. Both games are scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
Moving forward, Pelter said, “The biggest thing we still have to work on is swinging at strikes and defending the plate. We know strike zones differ with each game, so we have to be disciplined at the plate from the first inning.”
“Also, we have to get out of our heads when fielding,” added Pelter. “I’m still looking for one of my players in the infield to step up, talk and take the lead during games and for them all to settle in and make flawless, routine fielding plays.”
