Sometimes irony can be the big winner in a sporting event and that was certainly the case at Riverheads this evening as the Gladiators came just inches away from a walk-off win in the 7th, only to eventually lose 8-3 to visiting Windsor in 9 innings. The Dukes will now host Rappahannock, presumably on Friday, for the Region 1-A East title, while Riverheads turns in the uniforms after an impressive 18-5 season.
The story of this game can be, and deserves to be, spelled out in capital letters........ERRORS. The teams combined for an astonishing 13 miscues, as routine grounders were repeatedly booted, throws to first base went everywhere except into a waiting glove, and even 2 or 3 infield pop-ups were dropped. It can't be blamed on weather as it was a perfectly sunny day with no wind or rain. So we can only assume it could be chalked up to nerves.
The pitchers can't be blamed either, as each team's number 14 (Golladay for Riverheads and sorry but no roster was available for Windsor) did his job. Hits were also about even as I believe Windsor came out on top 9-8. But RHS was charged with 8 of the errors and an especially disastrous 9th inning allowed the Dukes to leave Greenville victorious.
But I do hope the respectable-sized crowd that made the trip will at least mention to the folks back home that Riverheads "almost" won this one in the bottom of the 7th when Colt Miller rocketed one to the right field fence. The score was tied 2-2 at that point and despite the many errors we had already seen and would continue to see, ironically it was a circus catch by the Dukes' right fielder that saved the day as he climbed to the top of the fence and still had to reach as high as he could to haul it in. (Honest Injun....it was THAT close to being a game-winning home run....ask anyone who was there.)
But as they say in baseball, "it ain't over until it's over" and that play no doubt fired up the Dukes and helped them put the game away in the 9th. This was just meant to be their day.
Prior to the late game heroics, it was a scratch and claw game most of the way. Riverheads plated single runs in the 1st and 3rd to lead 2-0, but a solo homer from Williams/Williamson (?) closed the gap to 2-1 in the top of the fourth.
Riverheads then had its own defensive gem in the top of the fifth that gave the home fans something to cheer about. With the lead runner on first, Windsor stroked what appeared to be a single into right field. However, Bradley Roberts made a shoestring catch and then fired the ball back to first to double up the runner who had mistakenly assumed the ball had dropped in safely. Bradley then hauled in another catch on the very next pitch to retire the side as he directly contributed to three outs in about 30 seconds of playing time.
The Dukes then tied the game up in the sixth, again courtesy of a booted ground ball. Riverheads got out of that jam without further damage and the teams went to the seventh tied at 2. Golladay put the Dukes away effectively and with the strongest part of the Gladiator batting order due up, the home fans felt sure they could pull it out, but as mentioned, Miller's potential game-winner came up agonizingly short.
Windsor then took its first lead of the game at 3-2 in the eighth, only to see Riverheads tie it right back up when Ridge Stokes led off the inning with a hit to shortstop that should have been an out. But a throwing error to first (have I mentioned that there some errors in this game???) allowed him to advance to second and eventually come around to score.
The Dukes opened the ninth with a new intensity they had not yet displayed as the first man walked and then stole both second and third. They quickly loaded the bases with nobody out. RHS managed a force at home for the first out and replacement pitcher Ryan Fitzgerald struck out one batter. But then the floodgates opened and the final two or three Gladiator errors allowed Windsor to plate five runs on no more than one or two hits.
Riverheads then managed a couple of base runners in the bottom of the ninth, but could not get anything across as the Dukes headed back to Tidewater to get ready for the regional final and next weekend's state berth down in Radford. (And they thought THIS was a long road trip!!!!)
For Riverheads, this one will sting for a while because of all the errors and the near-miss home run, but in no time at all, they will be juiced up for next season as they only lose three seniors and from what I understand, this year's JV team was rock solid. So we will still be talking RHS baseball again next year on the first of June. Bet on it!
The story of this game can be, and deserves to be, spelled out in capital letters........ERRORS. The teams combined for an astonishing 13 miscues, as routine grounders were repeatedly booted, throws to first base went everywhere except into a waiting glove, and even 2 or 3 infield pop-ups were dropped. It can't be blamed on weather as it was a perfectly sunny day with no wind or rain. So we can only assume it could be chalked up to nerves.
The pitchers can't be blamed either, as each team's number 14 (Golladay for Riverheads and sorry but no roster was available for Windsor) did his job. Hits were also about even as I believe Windsor came out on top 9-8. But RHS was charged with 8 of the errors and an especially disastrous 9th inning allowed the Dukes to leave Greenville victorious.
But I do hope the respectable-sized crowd that made the trip will at least mention to the folks back home that Riverheads "almost" won this one in the bottom of the 7th when Colt Miller rocketed one to the right field fence. The score was tied 2-2 at that point and despite the many errors we had already seen and would continue to see, ironically it was a circus catch by the Dukes' right fielder that saved the day as he climbed to the top of the fence and still had to reach as high as he could to haul it in. (Honest Injun....it was THAT close to being a game-winning home run....ask anyone who was there.)
But as they say in baseball, "it ain't over until it's over" and that play no doubt fired up the Dukes and helped them put the game away in the 9th. This was just meant to be their day.
Prior to the late game heroics, it was a scratch and claw game most of the way. Riverheads plated single runs in the 1st and 3rd to lead 2-0, but a solo homer from Williams/Williamson (?) closed the gap to 2-1 in the top of the fourth.
Riverheads then had its own defensive gem in the top of the fifth that gave the home fans something to cheer about. With the lead runner on first, Windsor stroked what appeared to be a single into right field. However, Bradley Roberts made a shoestring catch and then fired the ball back to first to double up the runner who had mistakenly assumed the ball had dropped in safely. Bradley then hauled in another catch on the very next pitch to retire the side as he directly contributed to three outs in about 30 seconds of playing time.
The Dukes then tied the game up in the sixth, again courtesy of a booted ground ball. Riverheads got out of that jam without further damage and the teams went to the seventh tied at 2. Golladay put the Dukes away effectively and with the strongest part of the Gladiator batting order due up, the home fans felt sure they could pull it out, but as mentioned, Miller's potential game-winner came up agonizingly short.
Windsor then took its first lead of the game at 3-2 in the eighth, only to see Riverheads tie it right back up when Ridge Stokes led off the inning with a hit to shortstop that should have been an out. But a throwing error to first (have I mentioned that there some errors in this game???) allowed him to advance to second and eventually come around to score.
The Dukes opened the ninth with a new intensity they had not yet displayed as the first man walked and then stole both second and third. They quickly loaded the bases with nobody out. RHS managed a force at home for the first out and replacement pitcher Ryan Fitzgerald struck out one batter. But then the floodgates opened and the final two or three Gladiator errors allowed Windsor to plate five runs on no more than one or two hits.
Riverheads then managed a couple of base runners in the bottom of the ninth, but could not get anything across as the Dukes headed back to Tidewater to get ready for the regional final and next weekend's state berth down in Radford. (And they thought THIS was a long road trip!!!!)
For Riverheads, this one will sting for a while because of all the errors and the near-miss home run, but in no time at all, they will be juiced up for next season as they only lose three seniors and from what I understand, this year's JV team was rock solid. So we will still be talking RHS baseball again next year on the first of June. Bet on it!
