The visiting Indians scored the first and last runs of tonight's game, but unfortunately for them, Riverheads scored all the ones in between as the Big Red posted a comfortable 8-2 win over their county rivals. In the first match-up on the Indian diamond, the Gladiators had taken an even more impressive 15-4 win.
In the early going, tonight's game was a battle of the 7's, as RHS sent Brody Phillips to the mound and the Indians countered with lanky Sam Garber. The first inning at least belonged to the visitors as Garber connected on Brody's first pitch and eventually came around to score the first run of the game. Then in the bottom of the frame, he set the Gladiators down 1/2/3 as the respectable contingent of Indian fans voiced their approval.
However, their joy only lasted that one inning as the Gladiator bats came alive and the Big Red scored at least one run in four of their final five at bats. They inflicted the most damage in the third and sixth frames, plating three runs in each of those innings.
Phillips, who pitched a perfect game recently in the Gladiators' 22-0 massacre at Buffalo Gap, steadily improved and lasted six innings and 83 pitches, but more importantly no more runs. His offense provided plenty of support as Grady Campbell knocked in the RBI that gave RHS the lead, Camden Huffer sent a ground-rule double over into the softball field to get his name in the box score, and Carson Kuhn had one of the hardest hit balls of the night to account for one of the Big Red's final runs.
Meanwhile, Garber was lifted after just three innings, but his replacement Isaac Marshall had the same difficulty trying to establish control, and a third Indian pitcher who worked the sixth was also roughed up by the inspired Gladiator hitters. Levi Dunlap came on to relieve Phillips in the top of the seventh and appeared to be headed for a shutout inning until a fly to center field was slightly misjudged by RHS, which allowed the Indians to score a harmless second run.
The weather did its part to cooperate tonight as the game was played under perfect conditions, although it was raining in parts of the county within half an hour after the game ended. With the win, Riverheads is now 6-3 in district play and they are off until next Friday when they travel to surprising Waynesboro to attempt to avenge one of those three losses.
When the playoffs roll around later this month, there is a very real chance that Riverheads and Fort Defiance could meet again, since each one is now in Region 2-B, with Riverheads moving up a notch this season while the Indians dropped from Class 3 to Class 2 this year.
In the early going, tonight's game was a battle of the 7's, as RHS sent Brody Phillips to the mound and the Indians countered with lanky Sam Garber. The first inning at least belonged to the visitors as Garber connected on Brody's first pitch and eventually came around to score the first run of the game. Then in the bottom of the frame, he set the Gladiators down 1/2/3 as the respectable contingent of Indian fans voiced their approval.
However, their joy only lasted that one inning as the Gladiator bats came alive and the Big Red scored at least one run in four of their final five at bats. They inflicted the most damage in the third and sixth frames, plating three runs in each of those innings.
Phillips, who pitched a perfect game recently in the Gladiators' 22-0 massacre at Buffalo Gap, steadily improved and lasted six innings and 83 pitches, but more importantly no more runs. His offense provided plenty of support as Grady Campbell knocked in the RBI that gave RHS the lead, Camden Huffer sent a ground-rule double over into the softball field to get his name in the box score, and Carson Kuhn had one of the hardest hit balls of the night to account for one of the Big Red's final runs.
Meanwhile, Garber was lifted after just three innings, but his replacement Isaac Marshall had the same difficulty trying to establish control, and a third Indian pitcher who worked the sixth was also roughed up by the inspired Gladiator hitters. Levi Dunlap came on to relieve Phillips in the top of the seventh and appeared to be headed for a shutout inning until a fly to center field was slightly misjudged by RHS, which allowed the Indians to score a harmless second run.
The weather did its part to cooperate tonight as the game was played under perfect conditions, although it was raining in parts of the county within half an hour after the game ended. With the win, Riverheads is now 6-3 in district play and they are off until next Friday when they travel to surprising Waynesboro to attempt to avenge one of those three losses.
When the playoffs roll around later this month, there is a very real chance that Riverheads and Fort Defiance could meet again, since each one is now in Region 2-B, with Riverheads moving up a notch this season while the Indians dropped from Class 3 to Class 2 this year.
