Panthers roll over Bulldogs, Drop Saturday Games
By Sharon Kilpatrick
It was the Rappahannock Panthers two games to none over the Luray Bulldogs Tuesday afternoon at home as both baseball and softball varsities triumphed.
However, on Saturday March 31, both lost their games.
The softball team won 9-0. They scored seven of their runs in the second inning to get an early lead in the home opener and never looked back. Rebecca Tupper pitched the complete game. She gave up three hits and got seven strikeouts and gave up one walk. According to Coach Richie Burke, “The defense played excellent, an error-free game.”
Catcher Christina Naramore awaits a pitch.
Offensively, Rappahannock had nine hits. Catcher Christina Naramore was one of those with two hits. Amanda Smoot led the hitting with a double and a triple and one run batted in. Christal Heflin also had two hits, one a triple and one run batted in. Rebecca Tupper, Katie Bruke, Elvira Yanez and Emily Carter all had singles with RBIs.
The win over Luray brings the varsity softball record to four wins and two losses. One loss was to 2-1 to Culpeper in the Fauquier Bash Tournament. The other two games they played in the tournament brought wins over Fauquier High (5-4 in the 11th inning) and Liberty High (1-0). The final game in the tournament will be Saturday, March 31, against Highland at Fauquier at 10 a.m.
The varsity baseball team defeated the Luray Buldogs 10-5 and now have a record of four wins and one loss. Like the game they lost against Warren County, Rappahannock had a 6-0 lead over the visiting team going into the top of the sixth inning. Bobby Czekaj was pitching.
The lead-off Luray batter got on first on an error, and Czekaj walked the next two batters. Coach Jeff Jenkins didn’t hesitate this time and pulled Czekaj, sending Adam Gessner to the mound. Gessner gave up a big hit and two runs scored. Another walk loaded the bases again.
Coach Jenkins pulled Gessner and sent Will Miller to the mound. Another error resulted in another score and Rappahannock’s lead was cut to 6-3. Miller struck out the next batter. The next hit the ball, but the runner was tagged out at home plate and Miller got the final out with another strike out.
In the bottom of the sixth with one out, Czekaj hit a triple. Jonathan Butler scored him with a successful bunt. A double by Gessner scored Butler. Will Miller hit a home run, adding two more runs for a 10-3 lead. In the top of the seventh Luray added two runs on errors and passed balls before Miller could get the final three outs.
In his five and one-third innings on the mound, Czekaj had 10 strikeouts and gave up one hit and two walks. Will Miller had four strikeouts and walked two in his one and a third innings.
Miller’s home run was the third for the day for the Panthers as Travis Jenkins also had one as did Adam Gessner. Czekaj had two hits including the double, had a bunt and a sacrifice RBI. Chase Tupper was two of three for the day including a double. L.B. Settle had a single.
“The good part is we’re four and one now, and we’re hitting the ball.” Coach Jenkins said.
On Thursday Rappahannock extended its record to 5 and 1 with a 9-5 win over Fresta Valley at home in a game that gave most of the Panther subs a chance to play.
Will Miller pitched four complete innings, getting six strike outs and giving up five walks. Jonathan Butler pitched two complete innings and started the seventh inning. He got two strike outs and gave up one hit. After Fresta Valley got a run bringing the score to 9-4 with no outs, Coach Jenkins brought Ethan Russell in to pitch, and after a passed ball allowed another run to score, he finished the game with three strikeouts.
Offensively Bobby Czekaj had two singles, Ethan Russell had two hits and two runs batted in. Adam Gessner had a double, Travis Jenkins had two doubles, and Nathan Hartshon, Jason Weise, Jonathan Butler and L.B. Settle had singles.
On Saturday morning the softball team again traveled to Fauquier High School for their last game in the Bash Tournament and lost 2-0 to the Highland Hawks. Highland picked up its first run in the bottom of the first. A walk to the lead off batter and a passed ball at the plate led to the score. Another error led to the second Highland run. Rapp had a few hits, but could not combine them to score runs.
Coach Burke said he was pleased overall with their play in the tournament. “We’re a better team than we showed today,” he said. “We weren’t hitting. Maybe you’re not morning people.”
The varsity baseball team dropped a home game Saturday afternoon to Millbrook 9-4. This was a team Rapp had defeated in an away game earlier in the season. Millbrook jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning with Ethan Russell pitching. The Panthers tied the score in the second. Coach Jenkins brought Adam Gessner in to pitch in the third inning. Millbrook seized the lead again 4-2 in the top of the fourth inning, but Rapp again tied the score at 4-4 in the bottom of the fifth.
Millwood scored again and ended the sixth up 7-4. They added two more runs in the seventh, and Rapp couldn’t counter.
-- Sharon Kilpatrick
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