STATESMEN USES BIG SIXTH INNING IN FIRST GAME, BUT SPLITS WITH PHCC

MARTINSVILLE, VA, March 1, 2014-The Statesmen shined offensively behind freshmen, Jordan Byrd and Ayannah Bowman-Williams in the first against Patrick Henry on Saturday. A big sixth inning started off with a line drive single to right field by Byrd, who would have two hits in that inning alone. Rebecca Condrey took the ball the other direction with a single to left field behind Byrd., which set up Bowman-Williams' big double to left field to bring in Byrd and Condrey to score. With the floodgates open, Amberly Alston drove in another run with a line drive single to center field, followed by a single by catcher Toria Arnett to left field and another hit to center field by Byrd. Richard Bland provided the run support needed for pitcher Tara Heatwole, who helped the Patriots to just three hits in the first game and added five strikeouts.

Despite outhitting the Patriots in the second game of the day, Richard Bland could not bring in the necessary runs to win. At the plate, The Statesmen did not see as nearly as many pitches as they did in the first game, averaging 2.8 pitches seen in each at bat and going three up, three down in four of the seven innings. Tara Heatwole pitched five of the six innings, while Mary Beth Latham came in relief for an inning to try and throw off the Patriots' big inning. Patrick Henry managed only hitting .211 off of Heatwole as a team. The Statesmen made miscues on the defensive end and at the plate, which provide to be the reason they came up short for the win.