In a windy home opener this afternoon, the Riverheads Gladiators needed a little time to get started, but put together two-run innings in each of their last three at-bats to pull away from visiting Stonewall Jackson 6-1. The non-district victory gives the Big Red a 3-0 record in the young season, with games still to come this week against Buffalo Gap and Wilson.
For the first three innings, this game was a pitcher's duel between Gladiator freshman Cason Croft and Generals sophomore Carter Heishman. Each one gave up hits grudgingly and went into the late innings. Croft had by far the lowest pitch count as he lasted through six full innings and around 82 pitches. He was relieved in the 7th by sophomore Nolan Burner, who made short order of the visitors.
Heishman was pushed to greater limits, tossing 97 pitches before being lifted for senior Aiden Springer in the Gladiator sixth. I honestly don't remember which one gave up the Big Red's final two runs, but the game was arguably still in doubt entering that sixth frame because it was just 4-1 at that point. But Brody Phillips smacked a two-run double to left center that rolled to the fence and brought in those final two runs.
His base-running was just as impressive as the hit itself as he is now fully recovered from a football injury suffered way back in the fall of 2024. But on this occasion, you could not see any signs of weakness as he rounded second at break-neck speed and headed for third. He would have had a decent chance to make it but if anything his own speed tripped him up around the halfway point and he decided to retreat to second. The inning ended soon after that, and Burner settled things in less than two hours of game time.
Stonewall actually opened the scoring as they pushed across their run in the top of the fourth. Riverheads countered almost immediately and scored their first two in the bottom half of that frame. They then added two more on some small-ball in the fifth before Phillips' double broke the game open. I believe his double was the only extra-base hit of the game for either team.
The Buffalo Gap game Tuesday will be at Riverheads and although it is expected to be about 15 degrees warmer than today, the winds are expected to top 20 MPH, but of course wind is a Riverheads tradition, no matter what the temperature might be. Thursday's game is then at Wilson with some chances of showers during the day.
The Lady Gladiators also hosted Stonewall today and in a very similar game, they also needed a couple of innings to get warmed up before they strung together some runs. The last score I remember seeing was 6-0, presumably in the top of the 7th. They are now 3-1 on the season.
For the first three innings, this game was a pitcher's duel between Gladiator freshman Cason Croft and Generals sophomore Carter Heishman. Each one gave up hits grudgingly and went into the late innings. Croft had by far the lowest pitch count as he lasted through six full innings and around 82 pitches. He was relieved in the 7th by sophomore Nolan Burner, who made short order of the visitors.
Heishman was pushed to greater limits, tossing 97 pitches before being lifted for senior Aiden Springer in the Gladiator sixth. I honestly don't remember which one gave up the Big Red's final two runs, but the game was arguably still in doubt entering that sixth frame because it was just 4-1 at that point. But Brody Phillips smacked a two-run double to left center that rolled to the fence and brought in those final two runs.
His base-running was just as impressive as the hit itself as he is now fully recovered from a football injury suffered way back in the fall of 2024. But on this occasion, you could not see any signs of weakness as he rounded second at break-neck speed and headed for third. He would have had a decent chance to make it but if anything his own speed tripped him up around the halfway point and he decided to retreat to second. The inning ended soon after that, and Burner settled things in less than two hours of game time.
Stonewall actually opened the scoring as they pushed across their run in the top of the fourth. Riverheads countered almost immediately and scored their first two in the bottom half of that frame. They then added two more on some small-ball in the fifth before Phillips' double broke the game open. I believe his double was the only extra-base hit of the game for either team.
The Buffalo Gap game Tuesday will be at Riverheads and although it is expected to be about 15 degrees warmer than today, the winds are expected to top 20 MPH, but of course wind is a Riverheads tradition, no matter what the temperature might be. Thursday's game is then at Wilson with some chances of showers during the day.
The Lady Gladiators also hosted Stonewall today and in a very similar game, they also needed a couple of innings to get warmed up before they strung together some runs. The last score I remember seeing was 6-0, presumably in the top of the 7th. They are now 3-1 on the season.