TENACIOUS SOFTBALL SPLITS DOUBLEHEADER WITH HERKIMER

PETERSBURG, Va., (March 19, 2016) – Needing a big hit to jumpstart its offense, sophomore Amanda Archer drilled a homerun over the leftfield fence in the nightcap of a doubleheader to ignite the Richard Bland College softball team to a split against NJCAA Division III powerhouse Hermiker (NY) Community College in non-conference action on Saturday at Statesman Field. Richard Bland lost the opener 11-7 and rebounded with an 8-6 victory in the second game.

Archer's homerun in the second inning of game two put the Statesmen ahead 1-0 and RBC tacked on six additional runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a commanding 7-0 lead. The Generals made the game interesting with five runs in the top of the fifth and a single digit in the seventh, chasing Richard Bland freshman starter Tabby Dabney from the contest after a strong outing, but fellow freshman pitcher Shannon Buffington shut the door in relief to preserve the victory. In the first game, five Statesmen errors and three Hermiker dingers, including a sixth inning grand slam, led the Generals to an 11-7 victory.

The doubleheader split improves Richard Bland to 8-14, while Hermiker drops to 11-4. The Statesmen were scheduled to play at Harford Community College on Sunday, but weather forced the cancellation of a doubleheader. RBC returns to action next Saturday, hosting Patrick Henry in Region X Conference play at Noon. Hermiker next faces Mohawk Community College on March 31.

Richard Bland 8, Hermiker 6

Dabney, who was making her first start in six weeks, stymied the Hermiker bats for four innings. After Archer's homer staked RBC to a 1-0 lead, the Statesmen erupted for six runs in the fourth inning by playing small ball softball and stringing together four first-pitch singles courtesy of sophomores Abby Eichelberger and Hannah Barnes along with Buffington and Dabney. The speed of freshman August Ringer, Eichelberger, Barnes, sophomore Kimberly Ellis and Buffington, all of whom got on base during the rally, kept the runners rotating around the bases and the Statesmen in firm command of the contest.

Hermiker clawed its way back into the contest with a five run fifth inning, tallying all of its runs after Dabney got the first two outs of the inning with a strikeout and groundout. The Statesmen scored a key eighth run in the bottom of the sixth after Buffington roped a double to leftfield, which brought home Ellis who used her speed to beat out an infield hit.  Buffington closed the door on the Generals in the seventh inning after Dabney ran into trouble, the key play courtesy of Ellis who turned in a game-ending solo double play.

Ellis, Dabney and Buffington combined for six of RBC's 10 hits. Eichelberger and Buffington had two RBI each in helping Dabney win her first game of the season.

Hermiker 11, Richard Bland 7

In the opening game of the doubleheader, the Statesmen broke out to a 3-0 lead, and starting hurler Buffington kept Hermiker off the scoreboard for three innings. But over the next three frames, the Generals would tally 10 runs, aided by two homeruns and a grand slam. Down 5-3 after 4 ½ innings, Richard Bland responded with four runs in its half of the fifth. Sophomore Haley Boykin drove in a run, and a single to center from freshman Maddison Waycaster drove in two others. Trailing 7-5 heading into the sixth inning, Hermiker got a single home run and a grand slam to take a 10-7 lead en route to the 11-7 victory.

 Dabney had two of RBC's nine hits.