The visiting Little Giants strung together three straight singles in the top of the first tonight to grab a 2-0 lead, and instead of Riverheads coming back to make a game of it, the Giants REALLY brought out the heavy lumber in the fifth as they hit three straight doubles, and even added a fourth before the inning was over, stretching their lead to 7-1. Then just for the heck of it, they added three more runs in the 7th for a final score of 10-1, in one of the most shocking results of the season in Shenandoah District play.
The loss was RHS' third in a row and by far their most lopsided loss of the season. Making it even more surprising was the fact that the Gladiators had won earlier over at Kate Collins by a score of 14-3. So if you do the math, we witnessed a 20-run turnaround with each team winning on the other's field.
Perhaps the Gladiators were over-confident and thought they could take the Giants for granted. But whatever the case, they looked nothing like the team that started off their season with five straight wins, outscoring their first four opponents 49-10, all on the road. After then squeaking by Stuarts Draft 6-5 in their first district win, the Big Red suffered a close 2-0 loss to first place Wilson.
They then reeled off six wins in a row, but as noted above, tonight was their third straight loss. As puzzling as tonight's game was, they are still sitting at 11-4 on the season, a record many teams would love to have.
After Waynesboro took that early 2-0 lead, the Big Red had more than one chance to make some noise. They had men on base often but just could not get the key rally they needed. They scored their only run in the bottom of the second, but then squandered their biggest opportunity in the fourth.
With the score still just 2-1, Levi Dunlap and Holden Fitzgerald opened the inning with strong hits to right field. That put runners on second and third with nobody out and everyone on the Gladiator side of the field could sense a big inning coming. But Waynesboro somehow worked out of the jam and as noted above, put the exclamation point on the game in the very next inning.
That five-run fifth for Waynesboro completely rattled the Gladiators and they had no serious threats over the final three innings. Whatever they may be feeling after such a loss, they only have a few hours to get over it, because Stonewall Jackson is visiting Wednesday afternoon. They were one of those first four teams the Big Red pounded on the road early in the season, but we now know we cannot assume anything about the re-match.
The Gladiators will then wrap up the regular season with games against Staunton, Buffalo Gap, and Fort Defiance, teams they have already beaten. So hopefully they can snap out of this slump and be in a positive mindset heading into the Region 2-B playoffs.
Meanwhile, those cardiac kids on the softball diamond were at it again today. You can see the softball scoreboard from the baseball field so it is easy to keep up with the game. In that one, Waynesboro jumped out to a 4-0 first inning lead, and still led 8-2 late in the game. But Riverheads stormed back to lead 10-8 after six.
Waynesboro then scored one in the 7th and had the tying run on second when RHS struck out the final batter to win 10-9. If you have been following, that is the Lady Gladiators' third-straight one-run victory.
The loss was RHS' third in a row and by far their most lopsided loss of the season. Making it even more surprising was the fact that the Gladiators had won earlier over at Kate Collins by a score of 14-3. So if you do the math, we witnessed a 20-run turnaround with each team winning on the other's field.
Perhaps the Gladiators were over-confident and thought they could take the Giants for granted. But whatever the case, they looked nothing like the team that started off their season with five straight wins, outscoring their first four opponents 49-10, all on the road. After then squeaking by Stuarts Draft 6-5 in their first district win, the Big Red suffered a close 2-0 loss to first place Wilson.
They then reeled off six wins in a row, but as noted above, tonight was their third straight loss. As puzzling as tonight's game was, they are still sitting at 11-4 on the season, a record many teams would love to have.
After Waynesboro took that early 2-0 lead, the Big Red had more than one chance to make some noise. They had men on base often but just could not get the key rally they needed. They scored their only run in the bottom of the second, but then squandered their biggest opportunity in the fourth.
With the score still just 2-1, Levi Dunlap and Holden Fitzgerald opened the inning with strong hits to right field. That put runners on second and third with nobody out and everyone on the Gladiator side of the field could sense a big inning coming. But Waynesboro somehow worked out of the jam and as noted above, put the exclamation point on the game in the very next inning.
That five-run fifth for Waynesboro completely rattled the Gladiators and they had no serious threats over the final three innings. Whatever they may be feeling after such a loss, they only have a few hours to get over it, because Stonewall Jackson is visiting Wednesday afternoon. They were one of those first four teams the Big Red pounded on the road early in the season, but we now know we cannot assume anything about the re-match.
The Gladiators will then wrap up the regular season with games against Staunton, Buffalo Gap, and Fort Defiance, teams they have already beaten. So hopefully they can snap out of this slump and be in a positive mindset heading into the Region 2-B playoffs.
Meanwhile, those cardiac kids on the softball diamond were at it again today. You can see the softball scoreboard from the baseball field so it is easy to keep up with the game. In that one, Waynesboro jumped out to a 4-0 first inning lead, and still led 8-2 late in the game. But Riverheads stormed back to lead 10-8 after six.
Waynesboro then scored one in the 7th and had the tying run on second when RHS struck out the final batter to win 10-9. If you have been following, that is the Lady Gladiators' third-straight one-run victory.
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