Wednesday, May 17 – Senior Kaydence Wilson hit a walk-off double to bring in the winning run in the Rockbridge County High School softball team’s 4-3 home victory over Valley District rival Harrisonburg on Wednesday evening in Lexington.
Wilson’s double to left field in the bottom of the seventh brought home Emma Hall and ended the Wildcats’ 10-game losing streak. The win also kept the Wildcats (6-13 overall, 2-6 district) in the hunt for a Region 3C tournament spot, with the Wildcats hoping for a play-in game next week. Check back here for updates.
With the victory, RC completed a sweep of the season series with Harrisonburg (4-12, 1-7). When the teams met on April 11 at Harrisonburg, the Wildcats won 11-4.
Before Wednesday’s game, the Wildcats honored Wilson and their three other seniors: Kelsie Caldwell, Lilly Purcell and Chasity Southers. Caldwell recorded two hits and two RBIs, Wilson had two hits and one RBI, Zollman added one RBI, and Purcell and Bella Dorey each had one hit.
Harrisonburg took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Camryn Johnson singled on a grounder to bring home Thaneisha Cedeno.
The Wildcats answered back in the fourth when, with the bases loaded, Caldwell doubled on a fly ball to center field to drive in Southers and Page Wright, giving RC a 2-1 lead. The next batter up was Zollman, who singled on a grounder to bring home Dorey, making it 3-1.
Neither team scored again until the top of the seventh when Harrisonburg’s Idaly Alvarez singled on a grounder to bring home Kayli Alvarado and Ryle Stroop, tying the game 3-3.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Purcell singled on a fly ball to center field, and Hall replaced her as a courtesy runner. Wilson then made her big hit to left field to bring Hall home for the winning run.
Freshman Sadie Moore pitched a complete game for RC, striking out nine and allowing six hits, no walks and three runs.
Pitching a complete game for the Blue Streaks was Ashlyn Smiley, striking out nine and surrendering six hits, three walks and four runs.
McKenna Dayton led Harrisonburg with two hits.
The Wildcats and Blue Streaks each committed three errors.
For the full story and photos from this game, please see our May 24 newspaper.