After polishing off Rocktown and Central earlier in the week by a combined score of 19-1, the Gladiators had a much tougher time of it this afternoon as they held off a determined Staunton Storm team to take a 4-3 Shenandoah District win. Staunton never led in the game but came back to tie twice before RHS pushed across the game-winner in the bottom of the fifth.
In the early stages of the game, each team had some opportunities that they failed to capitalize on. They were getting the guys on base but could not successfully bring them around. As a result, Riverheads managed only one run in the first but could have had more and Staunton had a similar situation but only managed to tie it at 1-1.
Then in the middle stages, there were some fielding errors and hit batters that helped each team score their runs. Riverheads eased ahead 3-1 but Staunton came right back to tie things up again. The two Staunton runs each scored on the same Riverheads throwing error.
Finally in the home half of the 5th, the Gladiators scored the winning run the way you are supposed to, as the extended Dunlap family tree, first Henley and then Levi, rapped doubles and Henley came around to score. In each case, the hit might have ordinarily been just a single but they ran the bases aggressively. which proved to be the key to Henley being able to score that winning run.
Levi then became his own best friend as he came on board as the third Gladiator pitcher of the day and kept the visitors from scoring again. However, he had to have some help to earn the save as Staunton hit three fly balls to the outfield in the 6th and 7th that caused the Gladiator outfield to make catches that were not exactly routine.
In the home half of the sixth, the Gladiators appeared to be on their way to padding the lead, but Staunton pulled off a double play to alertly end what turned out to be the final Gladiator at-bat. Dunlap then set The Storm down in the top of the seventh to preserve the hard-earned win.
With the win, RHS is now 3-1 in district play and 9-1 overall. On the Shenandoah District website, their next two games are on the road next week at Buffalo Gap and Fort Defiance, but as he was wrapping up the game, the PA announcer mentioned a home game Monday against Harrisonburg. So the Gladiators may very well have another three-game week.
While RHS was using a pitch-by-committee approach, Staunton got a solid 5 + innings out of sophomore Nathan Neil, who pitched well enough to win most games. His final pitch count was 86.
In the early stages of the game, each team had some opportunities that they failed to capitalize on. They were getting the guys on base but could not successfully bring them around. As a result, Riverheads managed only one run in the first but could have had more and Staunton had a similar situation but only managed to tie it at 1-1.
Then in the middle stages, there were some fielding errors and hit batters that helped each team score their runs. Riverheads eased ahead 3-1 but Staunton came right back to tie things up again. The two Staunton runs each scored on the same Riverheads throwing error.
Finally in the home half of the 5th, the Gladiators scored the winning run the way you are supposed to, as the extended Dunlap family tree, first Henley and then Levi, rapped doubles and Henley came around to score. In each case, the hit might have ordinarily been just a single but they ran the bases aggressively. which proved to be the key to Henley being able to score that winning run.
Levi then became his own best friend as he came on board as the third Gladiator pitcher of the day and kept the visitors from scoring again. However, he had to have some help to earn the save as Staunton hit three fly balls to the outfield in the 6th and 7th that caused the Gladiator outfield to make catches that were not exactly routine.
In the home half of the sixth, the Gladiators appeared to be on their way to padding the lead, but Staunton pulled off a double play to alertly end what turned out to be the final Gladiator at-bat. Dunlap then set The Storm down in the top of the seventh to preserve the hard-earned win.
With the win, RHS is now 3-1 in district play and 9-1 overall. On the Shenandoah District website, their next two games are on the road next week at Buffalo Gap and Fort Defiance, but as he was wrapping up the game, the PA announcer mentioned a home game Monday against Harrisonburg. So the Gladiators may very well have another three-game week.
While RHS was using a pitch-by-committee approach, Staunton got a solid 5 + innings out of sophomore Nathan Neil, who pitched well enough to win most games. His final pitch count was 86.
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