Riverheads was a little uninspired at times today but still managed to post a 5-4 win over county rival Buffalo Gap in a make-up game played on the Big Red diamond. The Gladiators pulled it out in the bottom of the 7th, when a sacrifice bunt by Michael Robertson was mishandled and then thrown away at first base, allowing Zach Gray to race home all the way from second.
The visiting Bison opened the scoring in the top of the fourth as a two-out double to deep left field ultimately allowed them to plate the first run of the game. But Riverheads wasted no time coming back as they scored four runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good.
A catcher-interference call got the rally started but the really wild play of the inning came moments later when Robertson was caught in a run-down between second and third. In true "it ain't over till it's over" fashion, he zig and zagged about six times and successfully avoided the tag before the Bison finally threw the ball away at third, leaving him safe and Adam Painter likewise at second.
That play unnerved the Bison as both those runners soon came home along with two more, helped along by at least two or three more Bison miscues. That one at-bat took as long to play as the preceding 3 1/2 innings had.
To their credit, the Bison fought back as their burly first-baseman (Noah ?) smacked a solo homer in the top of the fifth, and they added two more tallies in the sixth to tie the game at 4-4.
Riverheads went quietly in the sixth and the Bison got the go-ahead run as far as second in the top half of the final frame, before Gray opened the final at-bat with a single up the middle and eventually scored the game-winner.
Elijah Dunlap worked the first five inning for RHS and was replaced in the sixth by Robertson, who was in turn replaced by Braeson Fulton when the Bison tied the score. Fulton therefore got the decision. Jake Matheney worked the first six innings for the Gap and I did not catch the name of his reliever who was unable to hold off the Big Red.
These two have another make-up date next Wednesday out at the Gap, but Riverheads first travels to Stonewall Friday night and then hosts Wilson on Tuesday.
The visiting Bison opened the scoring in the top of the fourth as a two-out double to deep left field ultimately allowed them to plate the first run of the game. But Riverheads wasted no time coming back as they scored four runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good.
A catcher-interference call got the rally started but the really wild play of the inning came moments later when Robertson was caught in a run-down between second and third. In true "it ain't over till it's over" fashion, he zig and zagged about six times and successfully avoided the tag before the Bison finally threw the ball away at third, leaving him safe and Adam Painter likewise at second.
That play unnerved the Bison as both those runners soon came home along with two more, helped along by at least two or three more Bison miscues. That one at-bat took as long to play as the preceding 3 1/2 innings had.
To their credit, the Bison fought back as their burly first-baseman (Noah ?) smacked a solo homer in the top of the fifth, and they added two more tallies in the sixth to tie the game at 4-4.
Riverheads went quietly in the sixth and the Bison got the go-ahead run as far as second in the top half of the final frame, before Gray opened the final at-bat with a single up the middle and eventually scored the game-winner.
Elijah Dunlap worked the first five inning for RHS and was replaced in the sixth by Robertson, who was in turn replaced by Braeson Fulton when the Bison tied the score. Fulton therefore got the decision. Jake Matheney worked the first six innings for the Gap and I did not catch the name of his reliever who was unable to hold off the Big Red.
These two have another make-up date next Wednesday out at the Gap, but Riverheads first travels to Stonewall Friday night and then hosts Wilson on Tuesday.
Last edited: