It only took the Big Red 24 hours to get over a disappointing loss to Luray as they posted a solid road win over arch-rival Buffalo Gap. I believe RHS is now 11-4 overall and 5-4 in district play.
Andrew Golladay went the distance for the Big Red and was really only in trouble once but his teammates bailed him out with their third double play of the game. Jake Matheny took the loss for the Bison after going the first six innings before being relieved by Jake Gordon.
The Bison opened the scoring in the bottom of the second. With two outs, a soft grounder between third and short seemed to die in the infield grass and by the time the Gladiators fielded it, the throw to first skipped past. The batter took second and attempted third when that throw also bounced away allowing the first run of the game to score.
However, Riverheads quickly retaliated in the top of the third as they jumped on Matheny for a five-hit, four-run inning that gave them all the runs they would need. Included in the uprising were two beautifully laid-down bunts that the Bison could not field and everyone was safe. The Gladiators then moved ahead 5-1 in the fifth, helped along by a balk and a Bison throwing error.
In the Bison sixth, the home team threatened to not only come back, but to possibly break the game open. Golladay experienced some control issues and actually plunked three different batters in the inning. The Gap plated two runs to close the margin to 5-3 and appeared to be nowhere near finished when RHS made the play that saved the day.
Bases were loaded with only one out when the batter hit a slow roller toward the mound. Golladay fielded it cleanly, fired to home for the force and catcher Forrest Shuey was right on the money with a throw to first for the DP to get RHS out of the jam and preserve the lead.
Gordon came in to pitch the 7th for the Bison and quickly put the first two batters away. But just when it looked like the Big Red was finished, Grant Painter lashed a hit into shallow right field. It was bobbled just enough to allow the speedy freshman to take second. He then came around to score the insurance run on a Chase Armstrong single.
That run must have inspired Golladay because instead of the Bison making him work for it, he pitched perhaps his best inning of the night and put them down 1/2/3 in less than ten pitches as the Big Red grabbed the big rivalry win.
Although there technically is no such thing as a district title these days, the Gladiators have a pair of home games on tap next week in which they will have revenge on their minds. East Rock, a 2-1 winner the first time, visits on Tuesday, and Page, which thumped the Big Red 9-2 before, visits on Friday. The Gladiators would like nothing better than to even both scores.
Andrew Golladay went the distance for the Big Red and was really only in trouble once but his teammates bailed him out with their third double play of the game. Jake Matheny took the loss for the Bison after going the first six innings before being relieved by Jake Gordon.
The Bison opened the scoring in the bottom of the second. With two outs, a soft grounder between third and short seemed to die in the infield grass and by the time the Gladiators fielded it, the throw to first skipped past. The batter took second and attempted third when that throw also bounced away allowing the first run of the game to score.
However, Riverheads quickly retaliated in the top of the third as they jumped on Matheny for a five-hit, four-run inning that gave them all the runs they would need. Included in the uprising were two beautifully laid-down bunts that the Bison could not field and everyone was safe. The Gladiators then moved ahead 5-1 in the fifth, helped along by a balk and a Bison throwing error.
In the Bison sixth, the home team threatened to not only come back, but to possibly break the game open. Golladay experienced some control issues and actually plunked three different batters in the inning. The Gap plated two runs to close the margin to 5-3 and appeared to be nowhere near finished when RHS made the play that saved the day.
Bases were loaded with only one out when the batter hit a slow roller toward the mound. Golladay fielded it cleanly, fired to home for the force and catcher Forrest Shuey was right on the money with a throw to first for the DP to get RHS out of the jam and preserve the lead.
Gordon came in to pitch the 7th for the Bison and quickly put the first two batters away. But just when it looked like the Big Red was finished, Grant Painter lashed a hit into shallow right field. It was bobbled just enough to allow the speedy freshman to take second. He then came around to score the insurance run on a Chase Armstrong single.
That run must have inspired Golladay because instead of the Bison making him work for it, he pitched perhaps his best inning of the night and put them down 1/2/3 in less than ten pitches as the Big Red grabbed the big rivalry win.
Although there technically is no such thing as a district title these days, the Gladiators have a pair of home games on tap next week in which they will have revenge on their minds. East Rock, a 2-1 winner the first time, visits on Tuesday, and Page, which thumped the Big Red 9-2 before, visits on Friday. The Gladiators would like nothing better than to even both scores.
