The Wilson Green Hornets traveled to Riverheads tonight to face the hottest team in the Shenandoah District. The Gladiators were on top of the district standings at 3-0, having routed Stuarts Draft 12-0, Buffalo Gap 13-4, and Fort Defiance 13-1 in their last three games. Two of those were slaughter rule victories.
But tonight it was the visiting Green team that swung the heaviest bats as Wilson scored 7 runs in the top of the first inning and went on to hand the Big Red its first district loss by a 14-8 count. The Hornets' fast start was so dominant that they had a 9-0 lead before Riverheads could complete its first cycle through the batting order.
In that top of the first, the first three Hornets hit hard ground balls into just the right gaps to load the bases, helped along by a Riverheads fielding error. They kept the pressure on until RHS finally recorded the third out and came to bat facing that one touchdown lead. However the shell-shocked Gladiators went quietly in the home half of the first.
Wilson scored two more in the top of the second to take its biggest lead of the game, but from that point on, it was all about Riverheads' comeback and whether or not they would have enough time, and more importantly enough daylight, to climb all the way back into the game. You see, the Gladiator field does not have lights, which is why games start at 5:00. So when it takes two hours to complete the first four innings, as was the case this evening, fans start to wonder if the game will be able to go its full seven innings.
The Gladiators to their credit did not roll over and play dead after the strong Wilson start as they posted a five-spot of their own in the bottom of the second to trim the lead to 9-5. But then a major controversy in the top of the third led to about a 20 minute delay and contributed to the length of the game.
With its four-run lead, the Hornets quickly loaded the bases with nobody out and threatened to really blow the game open. When the fourth batter of the inning hit a towering fly, the Gladiator right fielder charged it and attempted to field it about 10 feet after crossing over onto the infield dirt. However the ball popped out of his glove and Wilson scooted its 10th run across the plate.
However, some of the more vocal Big Red fans immediately started to earnestly question why the infield fly rule was not in effect. In their opinion, the batter should have been out and the run should not have counted. Coach Painter of course came out of the dugout to make the same point.
That led to a spirited discussion and although we could not tell this from the stands, there was speculation that the two umps were actually trying to find a rule book to consult. Apparently the key points were....Can the infield fly rule apply when it is an outfielder making the play?.........and should an infield fly call have been made the minute it was obvious that it was a shallow fly ball?
After whatever discussion took place, the run stood, but to Riverheads' credit, the Hornets did not score anymore in that frame, leaving the home team with five more at bats to still catch up. The Gladiators failed to score in their half of the third, and the top of the fourth was the only Wilson at-bat in which they did not score.
That gave Riverheads one more big inning to try to get back in the game, which they did with a three-run bottom of the fourth. That tightened the game at 10-8, but as already mentioned, it was already 7:00 by that time, and there was major doubt about whether three more innings could be played before darkness set in.
However, Wilson pretty much removed any doubt about the outcome as they tallied twice in the fifth, and added one more in the sixth and seventh, whereas Riverheads failed to score down the stretch. I actually left after the sixth inning because most of us were assuming that it would get too dark to complete the seventh and that the end result would likely be 13-8. But since the district website shows it as a 14-8 final, I can only assume that Wilson scored once in the seventh and that Riverheads did receive a final at bat.
With the loss the two teams are now tied at 3-1 in district play. Buffalo Gap was already 3-1 going into tonight but I believe this was their bye night, meaning we now have a three-way tie for first. But what else would you expect in the Shenandoah?
While the boys were battling this one out, the ladies had their own donnybrook next door and at Riverheads, you can now see the other game's scoreboard, no matter which one you are watching. Wilson jumped out to quick 4-0 lead, but RHS caught fire and scored the next 9 runs to take a 9-4 lead into the seventh. But Wilson came back to life and almost pulled out the miracle before RHS held on to win 9-8.
Riverheads' next action is at Waynesboro Friday night. They used five different pitchers tonight, so I would assume that would leave the door open for anyone to start that one.
But tonight it was the visiting Green team that swung the heaviest bats as Wilson scored 7 runs in the top of the first inning and went on to hand the Big Red its first district loss by a 14-8 count. The Hornets' fast start was so dominant that they had a 9-0 lead before Riverheads could complete its first cycle through the batting order.
In that top of the first, the first three Hornets hit hard ground balls into just the right gaps to load the bases, helped along by a Riverheads fielding error. They kept the pressure on until RHS finally recorded the third out and came to bat facing that one touchdown lead. However the shell-shocked Gladiators went quietly in the home half of the first.
Wilson scored two more in the top of the second to take its biggest lead of the game, but from that point on, it was all about Riverheads' comeback and whether or not they would have enough time, and more importantly enough daylight, to climb all the way back into the game. You see, the Gladiator field does not have lights, which is why games start at 5:00. So when it takes two hours to complete the first four innings, as was the case this evening, fans start to wonder if the game will be able to go its full seven innings.
The Gladiators to their credit did not roll over and play dead after the strong Wilson start as they posted a five-spot of their own in the bottom of the second to trim the lead to 9-5. But then a major controversy in the top of the third led to about a 20 minute delay and contributed to the length of the game.
With its four-run lead, the Hornets quickly loaded the bases with nobody out and threatened to really blow the game open. When the fourth batter of the inning hit a towering fly, the Gladiator right fielder charged it and attempted to field it about 10 feet after crossing over onto the infield dirt. However the ball popped out of his glove and Wilson scooted its 10th run across the plate.
However, some of the more vocal Big Red fans immediately started to earnestly question why the infield fly rule was not in effect. In their opinion, the batter should have been out and the run should not have counted. Coach Painter of course came out of the dugout to make the same point.
That led to a spirited discussion and although we could not tell this from the stands, there was speculation that the two umps were actually trying to find a rule book to consult. Apparently the key points were....Can the infield fly rule apply when it is an outfielder making the play?.........and should an infield fly call have been made the minute it was obvious that it was a shallow fly ball?
After whatever discussion took place, the run stood, but to Riverheads' credit, the Hornets did not score anymore in that frame, leaving the home team with five more at bats to still catch up. The Gladiators failed to score in their half of the third, and the top of the fourth was the only Wilson at-bat in which they did not score.
That gave Riverheads one more big inning to try to get back in the game, which they did with a three-run bottom of the fourth. That tightened the game at 10-8, but as already mentioned, it was already 7:00 by that time, and there was major doubt about whether three more innings could be played before darkness set in.
However, Wilson pretty much removed any doubt about the outcome as they tallied twice in the fifth, and added one more in the sixth and seventh, whereas Riverheads failed to score down the stretch. I actually left after the sixth inning because most of us were assuming that it would get too dark to complete the seventh and that the end result would likely be 13-8. But since the district website shows it as a 14-8 final, I can only assume that Wilson scored once in the seventh and that Riverheads did receive a final at bat.
With the loss the two teams are now tied at 3-1 in district play. Buffalo Gap was already 3-1 going into tonight but I believe this was their bye night, meaning we now have a three-way tie for first. But what else would you expect in the Shenandoah?
While the boys were battling this one out, the ladies had their own donnybrook next door and at Riverheads, you can now see the other game's scoreboard, no matter which one you are watching. Wilson jumped out to quick 4-0 lead, but RHS caught fire and scored the next 9 runs to take a 9-4 lead into the seventh. But Wilson came back to life and almost pulled out the miracle before RHS held on to win 9-8.
Riverheads' next action is at Waynesboro Friday night. They used five different pitchers tonight, so I would assume that would leave the door open for anyone to start that one.
