.jpg)
The Rockbridge County High School softball team dropped a pair of Valley District games last week, falling at home against Turner Ashby 19-0 in five innings last Tuesday before coming up short at William Monroe 9-5 on Friday.
In between those games, the Wildcats (5-13 overall, 1-9 district) won a doubleheader at home against local rival Parry McCluer last Wednesday, with 11-0 and 3-2 victories. (See separate story.)
Against William Monroe (9-8, 4-6), which had beaten RC 8-4 on April 16 in Lexington, the Wildcats made a valiant effort to trim a 9-0 deficit by scoring five runs in the seventh inning.
The Dragons took a 3-0 lead in the first inning by scoring on a single and a double, and they extended their lead to 6-0 in the fourth when Kiersten Jenkins tripled to right field to drive in three runs. WM stretched its lead to 7-0 by scoring on a groundout before the inning ended.
In the sixth, the Dragons added two more runs, one on a groundout and the other when Karlee Martin doubled to left field to bring home Avery Shifflett.
The Wildcats got their bats going in the seventh. After singles by Gabriella Brown and Willow Rogers, Bella Dorey doubled to center field to bring home Brown. Marla Zollman then singled to center field to drive in Rogers and Dorey, cutting WM’s lead to 9-3. After hitting a single and advancing to third, Page Wright stole home, and RC scored the final run of the game when Parker Dameron singled to right field to drive in Moore. WM then ended the game when Shifflett struck out Cameron Terry.
RC racked up 13 hits, while WM had nine, but the Dragons capitalized on five RC errors. WM had no errors.
Leading the Wildcats with two hits each were Wright, Moore, Dameron, Brown and Rogers.
Pacing the Dragons with two hits each were Martin, Jenkins and Riley Rocha.
Moore pitched a complete game for the Wildcats, striking out four while allowing nine hits, one walk and nine runs (five earned).
Shifflett pitched a complete game for WM, striking out four while surrendering 13 hits, two walks and five earned runs.
TA 19, RC 0
The Wildcats suffered a 19-0 home loss in five innings to Turner Ashby (16-2, 11-0).
The Knights, who had beaten RC 22-0 in five innings on April 12 in Bridgewater, wasted no time in the rematch, scoring five runs in the first and erupting for 11 runs in the second before adding their final three runs in the third.
TA racked up 14 hits, while RC had none. The Wildcats committed eight errors, while the Knights had none.
Leading TA with three hits each were Reaghan Warner and Madison Aderholz, while Kendall Simmers and Kaydence Williams each had two.
Lily Moyers pitched all five innings for TA, striking out eight and allowing no walks in her no-hitter.
Moore started on the mound for RC, striking out ?? while surrendering nine hits, no walks and 13 runs (five earned). Zollman pitched the final four innings, striking out three while permitting five hits, six walks and six runs (five earned).
The Wildcats were scheduled to play at Broadway yesterday and will conclude the regular season when they play host to East Rockingham on Thursday at 5 p.m.
