The Gladiators snapped their two-game losing streak this afternoon with a tight 2-1 decision over neighboring rival Stuarts Draft. This was the first Shenandoah District opponent that the Gladiators had been able to sweep as they had won the first match-up easily, slaughter-ruling the Cougars 12-0 on their own field last month. With the win, Riverheads is now 6-3 in Shenandoah District play and still hopeful for a high seeding in the upcoming Region 1-B playoffs.
That 2-1 score would make you think this one was a classic pitchers' duel and on some levels it was. However, each team had multiple opportunities to score and in fact, out of the 13 at-bats in the game, only the final Cougar chance, the top of the seventh, featured a 1-2-3 put out. Prior to that, each team had at least one guy reach base in every at-bat, which tells you that there were quite a few baserunners stranded.
However, that is not intended to take away from the strong efforts of the five hurlers used today. RHS starter Levi Dunlap gave the Big Red four strong scoreless innings. Logan Austin pitched the fifth and although he gave up the only run the Cougars scored, he still kept them from any kind of big rally. But just when the Cougars needed to find their bats and pull out a miracle win, RHS got a great closing effort from sophomore Ethan Fitzgerald, who only used 18 total pitches to set the visitors down over the final two frames.
The Cougars however got their own gems on the mound in the form of a veteran and a promising newcomer. Senior Trenton Coffey worked the first five innings for the Cougars, tossing over 100 pitches and quite obviously kept the Gladiators from the big numbers they have shown most of this year. He was relieved down the stretch by freshman Spencer Gates, who pitched a very impressive sixth inning and showed himself to be someone to watch in the future.
As for the scoring that the teams did manage to produce, the major action was all crammed into the middle three frames. In the home half of the third, Bennett Dunlap was on second and a solid hit to the outfield seemed ready to post the first run of the game, but a perfect throw nailed him at the plate to keep the game scoreless.
However, in the bottom of the fourth the Gladiators finally dented the scoreboard when lead-off batter Trevor Lilly hit the deepest ball of the game, one that flirted with the fences, and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Camden Huffer. The Cougars however matched that run with one of their own in the top of the fifth.
Riverheads then appeared headed for a break-it-open bottom of the fifth when they loaded the bases. However they only got one run out of it, but that turned out to be enough, thanks to Fitzgerald's excellent closing effort. Ironically he was the same pitcher that completely handcuffed the Cougars in the earlier game between the two.
While this tight one was going on, it seemed at times as if the real game of the day might be happening next door on the softball field. Riverheads seemed to be in control as they built a 7-2 lead midway through the game. But a fired up contingent of Lady Cougar fans went ballistic and made everybody look as their team caught fire in the fifth inning and came back to tie the game at 7-7. Riverheads however did not wilt under the pressure, as they pushed across a game winner to hand SD a tough 8-7 loss. That slugfest was a direct contrast to the first meeting between the two which was a scoreless tie almost all the way before SD squeezed out a late-inning 1-0 victory.
So Gladiator fans went home happy today with a pair of one-run victories and I believe I heard that the Riverheads boys were in control of the JV game being played at the Draft. So not a bad day all around as the weather cooperated and they even dropped the price of pizza and hot dogs over the final inning. What more could you ask for??
The Gladiators will be jumping from the frying pan into the fire Friday when they travel to Wilson to face the red hot Hornets. Wilson won the first game 13-8, which means that this time Riverheads will be the team in danger of being swept. After Friday's game, only one week will remain in the regular season. Regardless of what happens Friday at Wilson, Riverheads will hope to finish strong with games against Staunton and Waynesboro.
That 2-1 score would make you think this one was a classic pitchers' duel and on some levels it was. However, each team had multiple opportunities to score and in fact, out of the 13 at-bats in the game, only the final Cougar chance, the top of the seventh, featured a 1-2-3 put out. Prior to that, each team had at least one guy reach base in every at-bat, which tells you that there were quite a few baserunners stranded.
However, that is not intended to take away from the strong efforts of the five hurlers used today. RHS starter Levi Dunlap gave the Big Red four strong scoreless innings. Logan Austin pitched the fifth and although he gave up the only run the Cougars scored, he still kept them from any kind of big rally. But just when the Cougars needed to find their bats and pull out a miracle win, RHS got a great closing effort from sophomore Ethan Fitzgerald, who only used 18 total pitches to set the visitors down over the final two frames.
The Cougars however got their own gems on the mound in the form of a veteran and a promising newcomer. Senior Trenton Coffey worked the first five innings for the Cougars, tossing over 100 pitches and quite obviously kept the Gladiators from the big numbers they have shown most of this year. He was relieved down the stretch by freshman Spencer Gates, who pitched a very impressive sixth inning and showed himself to be someone to watch in the future.
As for the scoring that the teams did manage to produce, the major action was all crammed into the middle three frames. In the home half of the third, Bennett Dunlap was on second and a solid hit to the outfield seemed ready to post the first run of the game, but a perfect throw nailed him at the plate to keep the game scoreless.
However, in the bottom of the fourth the Gladiators finally dented the scoreboard when lead-off batter Trevor Lilly hit the deepest ball of the game, one that flirted with the fences, and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Camden Huffer. The Cougars however matched that run with one of their own in the top of the fifth.
Riverheads then appeared headed for a break-it-open bottom of the fifth when they loaded the bases. However they only got one run out of it, but that turned out to be enough, thanks to Fitzgerald's excellent closing effort. Ironically he was the same pitcher that completely handcuffed the Cougars in the earlier game between the two.
While this tight one was going on, it seemed at times as if the real game of the day might be happening next door on the softball field. Riverheads seemed to be in control as they built a 7-2 lead midway through the game. But a fired up contingent of Lady Cougar fans went ballistic and made everybody look as their team caught fire in the fifth inning and came back to tie the game at 7-7. Riverheads however did not wilt under the pressure, as they pushed across a game winner to hand SD a tough 8-7 loss. That slugfest was a direct contrast to the first meeting between the two which was a scoreless tie almost all the way before SD squeezed out a late-inning 1-0 victory.
So Gladiator fans went home happy today with a pair of one-run victories and I believe I heard that the Riverheads boys were in control of the JV game being played at the Draft. So not a bad day all around as the weather cooperated and they even dropped the price of pizza and hot dogs over the final inning. What more could you ask for??
The Gladiators will be jumping from the frying pan into the fire Friday when they travel to Wilson to face the red hot Hornets. Wilson won the first game 13-8, which means that this time Riverheads will be the team in danger of being swept. After Friday's game, only one week will remain in the regular season. Regardless of what happens Friday at Wilson, Riverheads will hope to finish strong with games against Staunton and Waynesboro.
