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The Rockbridge County High School baseball team suffered a 15-1 road loss in five innings to Alleghany to fall to 0-3 on Monday of last week in Covington.
The Cougars, who ended the week at 2-1, capitalized on eight RC errors and racked up seven runs in the second inning before adding two runs in the third and six more in the fourth. Alleghany had two errors.
Alleghany, which merged with Covington High School entering the 2023-24 academic year, benefited from having former Covington players join the team. Last year, Alleghany went 20-3 and made it to the Class 2 state semifinals, where they fell 5-4 to Poquoson, which went on to lose 7-3 to Patrick County in the state championship game. One of Alleghany’s losses last year was to the Wildcats, who earned a 7-3 win in Covington late in the season, avenging a 9-3 loss earlier last season.
Last Monday, however, it was all Alleghany. After a scoreless first inning, the Cougars loaded the bases with three walks in the second inning and then scored their first three runs on walks. Christopher Harden then doubled to bring home two more runs, Alleghany scored another run on an error, and Harden scored on a sacrifice fly to extend the Cougars’ lead to 7-0.
In the third, RC freshman Bradi Ziegler doubled on a fly ball to center field, Clay Irvine singled on a line drive to right field, and Ziegler scored when Nolan Stines grounded out to cut Allehgany’s lead to 7-1.
Alleghany then scored two runs on singles in the bottom of the third and prevented the Wildcats from getting on base in the top of the fourth.
The Cougars put on another scoring barrage in the fourth, starting with a solo home run by Anthony Webb. Alleghany scored its next two runs on an RC error, Harden singled to center field to bring in another, and the Cougars scored their final two runs on an RC error.
Alleghany recorded seven hits, while RC had just two. Harden led the Cougars with three hits and four RBIs, while four other players each had one hit for Alleghany. Irvine and Ziegler each had one hit for the Wildcats.
On the mound for Alleghany, Brady May pitched a complete game, striking out two and allowing two hits, two walks and one earned run.
For RC, Bennett Bishop pitched the first 1.1 innings, striking out one and allowing no hits, six walks and six earned runs. Tyler Woods pitched the final 2.2 innings, striking out three and surrendering seven hits, one walk and nine runs (two earned).
RC was scheduled to play host to Staunton on Saturday, but that game was postponed due to rain and has been rescheduled for Thursday, May 2, at 5 p.m.
The Wildcats were slated to play host to Fort Defiance on Monday and will have a rematch with Alleghany at RC on Thursday at 5 p.m. before making the short trip to Buena Vista to take on local rival Parry McCluer on Monday at 6 p.m. RC will start Valley District action at Harrisonburg on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
