’Cats End Five-Game Skid

Martino’s Gem Leads RC To 9-1 Win Over Harrisonburg

Scoring six runs in the sixth inning, the Rockbridge County High School baseball team earned a 9-1 home win over Valley District rival Harrisonburg on Friday evening in Lexington.

Senior Sean Martino pitched a gem for the Wildcats (3-10 overall, 1-6 district) who avenged a 10-4 road loss to Harrisonburg (3-10, 1-6) last Wednesday and broke a five-game losing streak. In 6.2 innings on the mount, Martino struck out six and allowed two hits, four walks and one earned run.

“The effort from Martino was unbelievable,” said RC head coach Travis Roadcap. “He’s been banged up all year. We needed that, big time. It feels good.”

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth, when RC’s Clay Irvine singled on a grounder to third base to bring home Rocky Perlozzo, giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. RC freshman Eli Sorrells then hit his first career home run on a deep ball to left field, driving in Bradi Ziegler to extend the Wildcats’ lead to 3-0.

The Wildcats carried the momentum into their big sixth inning. Zac Majors singled on a line drive to right field to bring home Drew Potter, and Ziegler walked with the bases loaded, driving in Brady Majors. Zac Majors then scored when Trevor Hoke singled to right field, and Perlozzo scored on an error to make it 7-0. Hoke then scored on a another Harrisonburg error, and Irvine scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Thomas Armstrong, extending RC’s lead to 9-0.

The Blue Streaks scored their lone run in the seventh when Cayden Lucas walked with the bases loaded to bring home Anson Wolter. Brady Majors then replaced Martino on the mound for the final out, a fly ball caught by right fielder JP Welsh.

The Wildcats racked up 10 hits while holding Harrisonburg to two. Irvine, Sorrells and Hoke led RC with two hits each.

Recording one hit each for the Blue Streaks were Jayden Barnard and Xavier Banks. RC committed four errors, while Harrisonburg had three.

Pleased with his team for capturing the win in a season when injuries and youth have been challenges, Roadcap said, “It’s been an interesting year, but I’m very proud of the way that they continue to practice and play.”

“Our schedule’s very tough,” added Roadcap. “We’re hanging in there. I’ll take any win when we can get it.”

HHS 10, RC 4

In the 10-4 loss at Harrisonburg last Wednesday, the Wildcats fell behind 3-0 in the first inning and were down 6-2 after two innings. The Blue Streaks extended their lead to 10-2 by the fifth inning before the Wildcats scored two runs in the seventh.

Harrisonburg recorded nine hits, while RC had six. Leading the Blue Streaks with two hits each were Barnard, Noel Cano Rocha and Miguel Fajardo-Luis.

Sorrells and Zac Majors paced the Wildcats with two hits each.

Wolter pitched a complete game for Harrisonburg, striking out two and allowing six hits, one walk and four unearned runs.

The Wildcats used three pitchers – Irvine, Brady Majors and Tyler Wood – who combined to strike out six while surrendering nine hits, five walks and 10 runs (four earned).

Both teams struggled with fielding, with RC committing seven errors while the Blue Streaks had six.

ER 13, RC 3

The Wildcats suffered a 13-3 road loss in six innings to East Rockingham on Tuesday of last week.

The Eagles (10-3, 5-2) raced to a 5-0 lead in the first inning and led 9-2 after two innings. RC’s final run came in the third, but the Eagles added two runs in the fourth, one in the fifth, and one in the sixth to end the game early due to the 10-run mercy rule.

ER racked up 12 hits, while RC had six. William Eppard and Colin Root led the Eagles with three hits each, while Landon Bruce added two.

Potter paced RC with four hits, while four different Wildcats each had one hit.

Brian O’Neil and Grason Shifflett each pitched three innings for the Eagles, combining to strike out six while allowing no walks and three runs (one earned).

Edwards pitched the first three innings for RC, striking out one while surrendering eight hits, five walks and 10 earned runs. In the final 2.2 innings, Welsh struck out two and permitted four hits, one walk and three earned runs.

RC and ER each committed one error.

The Wildcats will play host to nondistrict rival Staunton on Thursday at 5 p.m. before returning to district action at Spotswood on Friday at 5:30 p.m. They’ll play host to district foe Turner Ashby on Tuesday before a home game against local rival Parry Mc-Cluer next Wednesday, May 8, with both games starting at 5 p.m.