Riverheads built an 8-0 lead through 6 1/2 innings and appeared to be well on its way to a second shutout of the Bison this season until the Gap came alive and scored three runs against relief pitching after they were down to their last out. But the win goes into the record books for RHS and keeps them solidly in second place in the district behind unbeaten Page County.
Things got off to a very quick bad start for BG tonight when starting pitcher Jake Matheney plunked Grant Painter on the very first pitch of the game. The junior shortstop would eventually come around to score as RHS took an early 2-0 lead. HBP's would turn out to be a theme of this game as I think we had either five or six of them total.
The Bison almost got out of that first inning unscathed as they recorded two outs on the Big Red but a deep fly ball by Jakob King was misjudged in center field and dropped in safely, allowing those two runs to score.
In the second inning, the Gladiators plated three more runs with the big hit being a two-run single up the middle by Braeson Fulton. After a single run in the 6th, Fulton opened the 7th with a solo home run to straightaway center field, which put Riverheads ahead 7-0. They added one more to take what appeared to be a commanding lead into the home half of the 7th.
Casey Butler replaced starter Elijah Dunlap for mop-up duty in the 7th and it momentarily looked like he would have no trouble preserving the shutout as he induced a line drive to Dunlap, who had moved to second base, followed by a shallow fly out to center field.
But with the score still 8-0 and the home team down to its final strike, they touched Butler for three runs on a couple of solid hits and a Gladiator throwing error. Matthew Charles then came in to finish out the game and although the Gap loaded the sacks on him, the Big Red got out of the jam and picked up the victory on a force-out at first.
Riverheads is in the midst of a busy week as the Gladiators rolled to a 16-2 non-district victory yesterday over Alleghany County, after having won 18-1 earlier this season on the Mountaineers' home field. Michael Robertson picked up the victory in yesterday's game. The Gladiators are then home Thursday afternoon for a Shenandoah District contest against Stonewall Jackson.
Things got off to a very quick bad start for BG tonight when starting pitcher Jake Matheney plunked Grant Painter on the very first pitch of the game. The junior shortstop would eventually come around to score as RHS took an early 2-0 lead. HBP's would turn out to be a theme of this game as I think we had either five or six of them total.
The Bison almost got out of that first inning unscathed as they recorded two outs on the Big Red but a deep fly ball by Jakob King was misjudged in center field and dropped in safely, allowing those two runs to score.
In the second inning, the Gladiators plated three more runs with the big hit being a two-run single up the middle by Braeson Fulton. After a single run in the 6th, Fulton opened the 7th with a solo home run to straightaway center field, which put Riverheads ahead 7-0. They added one more to take what appeared to be a commanding lead into the home half of the 7th.
Casey Butler replaced starter Elijah Dunlap for mop-up duty in the 7th and it momentarily looked like he would have no trouble preserving the shutout as he induced a line drive to Dunlap, who had moved to second base, followed by a shallow fly out to center field.
But with the score still 8-0 and the home team down to its final strike, they touched Butler for three runs on a couple of solid hits and a Gladiator throwing error. Matthew Charles then came in to finish out the game and although the Gap loaded the sacks on him, the Big Red got out of the jam and picked up the victory on a force-out at first.
Riverheads is in the midst of a busy week as the Gladiators rolled to a 16-2 non-district victory yesterday over Alleghany County, after having won 18-1 earlier this season on the Mountaineers' home field. Michael Robertson picked up the victory in yesterday's game. The Gladiators are then home Thursday afternoon for a Shenandoah District contest against Stonewall Jackson.
