Wildcats Wallop Blues, 18-3

RC Bats Rack Up 13 Hits In Rout Of Rivals

The Rockbridge County High School baseball team earned its first win of the season by defeating Parry McCluer 18-3 on Monday of last week in Buena Vista.

The game ended with one out in the top of the sixth inning due to lighting, with the Wildcats (1-4) comfortably in command. The Fighting Blues would improve to 3-2 with a 9-7 road win over Pioneer District rival Eastern Montgomery on Tuesday of last week. (See separate story.)

Last year, RC and PM split the season series. They are scheduled to meet again at RC on Wednesday, May 8, at 5 p.m.

Freshman Bradi Ziegler led the Wildcats offensively with three hits, including a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Freshman Elijah Sorrells reached base safely in each of his four plate appearances, tallying two hits, including a triple, along with two walks, two runs scored and one RBI.

RC senior pitcher Sean Martino was able to quiet the PM bats early, throwing 3.2 innings, striking out three and allowing four hits and no runs. In 1.1 innings of relief, RC junior Drew Potter struck out two and surrendered one hit, no walks and one run.

Giving credit to the Wildcats’ pitchers, RC head coach Bryan Loy said, “I thought the arms for Rockbridge threw well for them and threw strikes, which is key. I think our guys did a good job of putting the ball in play and unfortunately, we had some hard-hit balls that went right to someone, but that’s baseball.”

RC opened the scoring early off PM senior Tanner Coleman, putting up four in the first inning and never looking back, scoring in each inning from there on out. The Wildcats took advantage of several PM defensive miscues and were aggressive on the base paths. The Wildcats added two more runs in the second to take a 6-0 lead. RC would extend its lead to 10-0 in the top of the fourth before the Blues scored all three of their runs in the bottom of the fourth. The Wildcats finished the game by scoring two runs in the fifth and six more in the sixth before the game ended.

PM’s pitchers struggled with command throughout the game, allowing 13 hits and 14 walks. The Blues committed six errors, while RC had one.

“We lost the freebie battle,” said Loy. “When that happens, it’s hard to win by giving up more errors and walks than the other team.”

Ziegler and Thomas Armstrong led the Wildcats with three hits each, while Sorrells and Clay Irvine each had two hits. Zac Majors had one hit and three RBIs.

On the mound for PM, Coleman pitched the first three innings, striking out one and allowing six hits, four walks and seven runs (four earned). Junior Brayden Holdren then pitched two innings of relief, striking out three and surrendering five hits, seven walks and nine runs (eight earned). In the sixth, freshman Curtis King replaced Holdren and allowed two hits, three walks and two earned runs.

A bright spot for the Fighting Blues offensively was Holdren, who had a double and one RBI and scored a run. The Blues had five hits, one each for Holdren, Coleman, Braedyn Houck, Peyton Ramsey and Jordan Brockenbrough.

Loy stressed the importance of moving on from this performance and focusing on the long season ahead.

“We will have a short memory of this game,” he said.

The Wildcats were scheduled to play a Valley District game at Harrisonburg on Tuesday of last week, but that game was postponed to a date to be determined due to rain. RC was slated to play host to district rival Spotswood yesterday and will continue district action at Turner Ashby on Friday at 6 p.m. before playing host to William Monroe on Tuesday at 5 p.m.

The Blues were slated to play host to Bath County yesterday and are scheduled to continue district action at home against Craig County on Thursday before playing host to nondistrict rival Altavista on Monday, with both games scheduled for 5 p.m.