Wildcats Drop Home Games To WM, Broadway

Despite showing improvement, the Rockbridge County High School softball team suffered a pair of Valley District home losses last week, coming up short against William Monroe 8-4 last Tuesday and falling to Broadway 7-1 on Friday.

Against William Monroe (6-5 overall, 2-3 district), the Wildcats (1-8, 0-4) made a valiant effort to trim from a 7-0 deficit, but the Dragons’ big early lead was too much to overcome.

WM, a new team to the district, scored two runs in the second inning and erupted for five runs in the third.

“It seems to be the one-inning curse that gets us,” said RC head coach Keston Pelter.

The Wildcats scored two runs in the bottom of the third and added two more in the sixth to cut WM’s lead to 7-4, but the Dragons scored the final run of the game in the seventh and prevented any further RC runs.

WM took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second when Karlee Martin hit a two-run homer over the center field fence.

After the Wildcats left runners on base in the bottom of the second, the Dragons kept the momentum going in the top of the third. Reagan Shifflett singled to bring home Riley Rocha, and Shifflett later scored on a groundout to make it 4-0. Allie Shifflett scored on a sacrifice fly to right field, and the Dragons scored two more runs on an RC error to extend their lead to 7-0.

For the game, the Wildcats committed four errors, while the Gobblers had three.

RC scored its first run in the bottom of the third when Sadie Moore singled to right field to bring home Marla Zollman, and Page Wright ran home on a wild pitch to cut WM’s lead to 7-2.

After two scoreless innings, the Wildcats scored in the sixth when Landrey Campbell singled to third base to drive in Gabriella Brown. After loading the bases, RC scored again when Cameron Terry walked.

The Dragons scored the final run of the game in the seventh on a sacrifice fly to RC shortstop Bella Dorey, bringing home Allie Shifflett.

RC had a chance to score in the seventh when Brown got to third base, but she was picked off on a groundout.

WM racked up 11 hits, while RC had six. Leading the Dragons with two hits each were Morgan Pursel and Avery and Allie Shifflett. Martin had one hit and four RBIs.

Moore and Campbell led the Wildcats with two hits each, while Terry and Brooklyn Beverly each had one hit.

On the mound for RC, Moore pitched a complete game, striking out one and allowing 11 hits, no walks and eight runs (three earned).

The Wildcats struggled against WM’s soft pitching. Pelter said RC is “used to hard pitching, quick pitching, so it’s an adjustment.”

“We continue to hit the ball, but it’s [about] finding the gaps and the holes,” she added.

In the field, Pelter was impressed by her team’s effort, including outs on catches by Dorey, as well as Campbell at third base. “We had to talk to them about hustle and effort, and they had some good hustle plays tonight,” she said. I am proud of them for that.”

Broadway 7, RC 1

The Wildcats suffered a 7-1 home loss to Broadway (9-2, 4-1) on Friday. The Gobblers took a 1-0 lead in the first and added another run in the fourth before racking up five runs in the fifth to go up 7-0.

RC’s lone run came in the sixth when Moore singled on a grounder to center field to bring home Dorey.

Pelter said the score “doesn’t reflect the heart and effort that my girls put into that game. Friday’s game was some of the best ball they have played this season. They made solid defensive plays that ended in some questionable calls that didn’t go our way; however, they played through it.”

Broadway recorded 13 hits, while RC had seven. Savannah Jansen led the Gobblers with three hits, while Taylor Suters and Madalyn Wolfe added two hits each.

Moore paced RC with two hits, while five other Wildcats each had one hit.

Pitching a complete game, Moore struck out six and surrendered 13 hits, no walks and seven runs (four earned).

Broadway’s Emma Morris and Kaleigh Harper combined to throw 13 strikeouts. RC and Broadway each committed two errors.

The Wildcats were scheduled to play at East Rockingham yesterday and will continue district action today, Wednesday, at 6 p.m. before playing host to Harrisonburg on Friday at 5 p.m.