Riverheads took a early 3-0 lead. Their pitcher kept Strasburg at bay for most of the night. Strasburg got the bases loaded in the bottom of the 7th. Riverheads went to a different pitcher. Ryan Smoot singled home a run to make it 3-1. Ian Baker tied the game with a 2 rbi hit. Then Evan Snapp got a free pass to load the bases. Senior Tyler Doman delivered the game winning hit to end Riverheads season 4-3. Great Season Riverheads
Strasburg vs Riverheads
- Thread starter mg66
- Start date
Thanks for congratulating the Big Red on their overall season. When a season in any sport ends in a disappointing loss, it is easy to dwell on that and forget the many positive things you did achieve. But RHS' 21-0 regular season was certainly a school, if not an area record, and will not be forgotten.
But man, was this ever a tough loss to swallow tonight! If there was ever a classic case of "It ain't over till it's over" this game would be it. The big rally that gave the Rams their win happened so fast that I doubt if anyone could believe what they had seen. The score went from a 3-0 Riverheads lead to a 4-3 Rams victory in probably no more than five minutes clock time.
As mg implied, Riverheads was in command for the vast majority of the game. Nathan Brooks delivered not one, but two, strong doubles in the first and third innings, with Zach Roberts scoring all the way from first on each of them. Brooks himself came around to score in the first inning, as the Big Red took an early 2-0 lead. His second RBI then made it 3-0 in the top of the third.
Both pitchers settled down at that point and for what seemed like an eternity, the scoreboard read 3-0 with RHS having four hits and Strasburg only 2. Riverheads turned two double plays to get out of jams, I think Strasburg had one of their own, and the Rams catcher also made a great play nailing an RHS base-runner who got caught off first.
Although the big Strasburg rally that produced the win will be what everyone will remember, the irony is that the Gladiators had their own potential big innings in both the 6th and 7th. They left runners on second and third to end the sixth and in the top of the 7th, they chased the Rams' starter and ultimately left the sacks full. So if only the Big Red had been able to push across at least one or two of those runs.....we could have had a different ending.
But that is why they play the full game and the Rams deserve credit for not giving up and battling till the very end. So best of luck to them the rest of the way. I see that their fellow Bull Run team, Madison County, surprised East Rock tonight, so hopefully one or the other can bring home the state title and keep it in the western part of the state.
One more detail on Riverheads' pitching tonight. I was told at the beginning of the game that Kyle Bishop, our ace and the Shenandoah District player of the year, was injured and out for the rest of the year as a pitcher. He was our DH tonight, so at least he was able to play, but win or lose, his pitching career was over if my source was correct. I don't know any more details than that.
Due to that development, Ethan Whitehead, who is only a junior, started tonight and John Weeks was his reliever. Due to our record, each of them would have been undefeated coming into tonight's game. Another undefeated Gladiator pitcher, Colt Miller, is only a sophomore, so the Big Red will have a solid nucleus returning next year.
Sorry I couldn't name any Rams by name since of course I don't know them and I didn't pick up a roster. So I guess their fans can tell us whether tonight's heroics came from usual sources or if there were any surprises.
One final comment, which I am sure will sound like a complaint but I hope it will be taken as constructive criticism, but that is a frustrating field to watch a game. The visitors have almost no seating available that will give them a decent view of home plate unless of course they push their way into spots that the Rams fans I guess are accustomed to having. Is that anything that has ever been brought up for discussion before? Any money available for some site improvements?
But man, was this ever a tough loss to swallow tonight! If there was ever a classic case of "It ain't over till it's over" this game would be it. The big rally that gave the Rams their win happened so fast that I doubt if anyone could believe what they had seen. The score went from a 3-0 Riverheads lead to a 4-3 Rams victory in probably no more than five minutes clock time.
As mg implied, Riverheads was in command for the vast majority of the game. Nathan Brooks delivered not one, but two, strong doubles in the first and third innings, with Zach Roberts scoring all the way from first on each of them. Brooks himself came around to score in the first inning, as the Big Red took an early 2-0 lead. His second RBI then made it 3-0 in the top of the third.
Both pitchers settled down at that point and for what seemed like an eternity, the scoreboard read 3-0 with RHS having four hits and Strasburg only 2. Riverheads turned two double plays to get out of jams, I think Strasburg had one of their own, and the Rams catcher also made a great play nailing an RHS base-runner who got caught off first.
Although the big Strasburg rally that produced the win will be what everyone will remember, the irony is that the Gladiators had their own potential big innings in both the 6th and 7th. They left runners on second and third to end the sixth and in the top of the 7th, they chased the Rams' starter and ultimately left the sacks full. So if only the Big Red had been able to push across at least one or two of those runs.....we could have had a different ending.
But that is why they play the full game and the Rams deserve credit for not giving up and battling till the very end. So best of luck to them the rest of the way. I see that their fellow Bull Run team, Madison County, surprised East Rock tonight, so hopefully one or the other can bring home the state title and keep it in the western part of the state.
One more detail on Riverheads' pitching tonight. I was told at the beginning of the game that Kyle Bishop, our ace and the Shenandoah District player of the year, was injured and out for the rest of the year as a pitcher. He was our DH tonight, so at least he was able to play, but win or lose, his pitching career was over if my source was correct. I don't know any more details than that.
Due to that development, Ethan Whitehead, who is only a junior, started tonight and John Weeks was his reliever. Due to our record, each of them would have been undefeated coming into tonight's game. Another undefeated Gladiator pitcher, Colt Miller, is only a sophomore, so the Big Red will have a solid nucleus returning next year.
Sorry I couldn't name any Rams by name since of course I don't know them and I didn't pick up a roster. So I guess their fans can tell us whether tonight's heroics came from usual sources or if there were any surprises.
One final comment, which I am sure will sound like a complaint but I hope it will be taken as constructive criticism, but that is a frustrating field to watch a game. The visitors have almost no seating available that will give them a decent view of home plate unless of course they push their way into spots that the Rams fans I guess are accustomed to having. Is that anything that has ever been brought up for discussion before? Any money available for some site improvements?
Seating "concerns"
Where else can they add seating? If you might have noticed, there is a little league field right behind the first base bleachers. Do you want them to tear that down???!!! I might be slightly cramped, but I think others have made due for a very long time and concerned themselves on watching the games. There are plenty of good sight lines, even down the first base side. I have watched from there before without any problem. They added a bigger dugout a few years back so maybe that blocks the view some. Maybe next time get there a little earlier if you want a better view. Strasburg fans come out in number and support the Rams as well as any school in my area supports theirs. I like the field at First Bank Park. One of my favorites, actually.
Where else can they add seating? If you might have noticed, there is a little league field right behind the first base bleachers. Do you want them to tear that down???!!! I might be slightly cramped, but I think others have made due for a very long time and concerned themselves on watching the games. There are plenty of good sight lines, even down the first base side. I have watched from there before without any problem. They added a bigger dugout a few years back so maybe that blocks the view some. Maybe next time get there a little earlier if you want a better view. Strasburg fans come out in number and support the Rams as well as any school in my area supports theirs. I like the field at First Bank Park. One of my favorites, actually.
Re: Seating "concerns"
You definitely hit upon the two contributing factors to the visibility issue....the extra large crowd, which is of course fully understandable given your team's record, and the dugout obstructing view. But I guess I was just taken aback because every other place I have ever been has a distinct separation of home fans along third base line and visiting fans along first base line, or vice versa.
So when I got there, I quickly picked up on the fact that the third base side was all Rams, and that a few of our fans were sitting in the closer section along the first base line (probably the early arrivals you spoke of) but there were plenty of Rams fans in there too. So I spotted the bulk of our fans further down (on the other side of the dugout) and went down there and joined them. Everybody was already talking about how you could not see the plate from there, so it was just a little disappointing. But I guess we adjusted as the game wore on. The behind the plate umpire had a nice strong voice which helped.
The few fans of ours that had originally been in that closer section eventually moved down to join the rest of us, which I guess was done just out of team unity. I certainly assume that they were not made to move in any way. My guess is that they all just shrugged their shoulders after a while and said "guess we are supposed to be waayyyyyy down there." Even our administrators sat even farther down the first base line, beyond where the rest of us were.
It was just a case of this particular field being so different from the ones we see elsewhere and of course the larger crowd made it seem more obvious. So if you guys ever have a playoff game down our way, whether it be RHS, Wilson, East Rock, or wherever, I think I can confidently tell you that you will get your own section of stands with a decent view of the game. ER in particular is a great place to watch a game.
But for now, problem is over since we won't be back there for a while, if ever, and since you guys have to hit the road for the rest of the playoffs. By the way, is this also the field that the Strasburg Valley League team uses? I kind of assumed it was because the huge menu at your concession stand seemed like a lot more than any high school field would ever have.
You definitely hit upon the two contributing factors to the visibility issue....the extra large crowd, which is of course fully understandable given your team's record, and the dugout obstructing view. But I guess I was just taken aback because every other place I have ever been has a distinct separation of home fans along third base line and visiting fans along first base line, or vice versa.
So when I got there, I quickly picked up on the fact that the third base side was all Rams, and that a few of our fans were sitting in the closer section along the first base line (probably the early arrivals you spoke of) but there were plenty of Rams fans in there too. So I spotted the bulk of our fans further down (on the other side of the dugout) and went down there and joined them. Everybody was already talking about how you could not see the plate from there, so it was just a little disappointing. But I guess we adjusted as the game wore on. The behind the plate umpire had a nice strong voice which helped.
The few fans of ours that had originally been in that closer section eventually moved down to join the rest of us, which I guess was done just out of team unity. I certainly assume that they were not made to move in any way. My guess is that they all just shrugged their shoulders after a while and said "guess we are supposed to be waayyyyyy down there." Even our administrators sat even farther down the first base line, beyond where the rest of us were.
It was just a case of this particular field being so different from the ones we see elsewhere and of course the larger crowd made it seem more obvious. So if you guys ever have a playoff game down our way, whether it be RHS, Wilson, East Rock, or wherever, I think I can confidently tell you that you will get your own section of stands with a decent view of the game. ER in particular is a great place to watch a game.
But for now, problem is over since we won't be back there for a while, if ever, and since you guys have to hit the road for the rest of the playoffs. By the way, is this also the field that the Strasburg Valley League team uses? I kind of assumed it was because the huge menu at your concession stand seemed like a lot more than any high school field would ever have.
Re: Seating "concerns"
Many schools have very bad seating. I know of some that there is no where one can see entire field. I went to a game once where you could not see batter, first base or 3rd base. Might as well stayed home.
Hard to comprehend the design of some fields. Granted many are land-locked, but they can make better use of what's available. and dugouts should be in the ground. Not 8-10 foot high from ground level.
Many schools have very bad seating. I know of some that there is no where one can see entire field. I went to a game once where you could not see batter, first base or 3rd base. Might as well stayed home.
Hard to comprehend the design of some fields. Granted many are land-locked, but they can make better use of what's available. and dugouts should be in the ground. Not 8-10 foot high from ground level.
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