Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 The popular Battle of the Bluefields was held Monday night in a double-header softball game between Bluefield College and Bluefield State at Graham Recreation Park. Bluefield College walked away victorious in both games, completing the sweep for the year as the Rams won in the basketball and baseball battles as well. The Rams won by scores of 2-1 and 10-6.
Game one showed to be a pitcher's dual between BC's
Alexandra Bartley and State's Amanda Cokeley. Both girls went the distance pitching complete games. Bartley only allowed one hit and Cokeley limited the Rams to four hits. In the bottom of the third, Bartley led off the inning for the Rams and reached base on a defensive bobble and then stole second base.
Kaitlyn Pennington then singled to left field to score Bartley and advanced to second on the throw. Pennington advanced to third and scored on passed balls and those would be the only two runs BC could push across. State tried to mount a comeback in the top of the seventh but would only score the lone run. Cargill reached on a dropped fly ball to start the inning and then stole second base. One batter later, Day flied out to right field, but the ball got away from BC as they tried to throw Cargill out at third as she tagged up on the hit, which allowed her to score. For the Rams, Pennington and
Kena Denton each had one hit and
Eryn Haley was 2-3 at the plate. Bartley got the win in the circle.
In game two, the bats were more alive for both teams as BC had nine hits in the game and State had six. The Rams jumped out to an early lead, scoring two runs in the first. In the bottom of the second inning, singles from
Kiki Jones and Pennington, a double from Haley, and singles from
Michaela Carter and
Morgan Sawyers allowed BC to put up four more runs, making the score 6-0. Bluefield State got one run back in the top of the third on a BC error, a sacrifice bunt, and a single to center. In the top of the fifth, the Blues would score three more runs on two hits and three defensive errors by the Rams, making the score 6-4. State would then tie the game at 6 in the top of the sixth on one hit, a walk, and another BC error. In the bottom of the sixth,
Megan Arrington and Jones both singled back to back and advanced into scoring position on the throw in from the outfield. Arrington scored on a passed ball, Jones advanced to third and scored on Haley's single to left. Carter then laid down a bunt to the third baseman, but a wild throw that ended up in the right field corner allowed Haley and Carter both to score.
Brienna Sparks came in to relieve
Baily Garin in the circle for the last inning and retired all three State batters, giving the Rams the 10-6 victory. Garin got the win for the Rams as she completed six innings of work. Haley and Sawyers were both 2-4 at the plate and Jones ended her senior season strongly as she went 3-3 at the plate.
The Rams finished their season 18-30 overall and look to continue building on that for the 2017 season.
