SOFTBALL SPLITS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS DOUBLEHEADER VS. SURRY

PETERSBURG, Va., (April 9, 2016) – Gutsy winds, cool temperatures and blustery playing conditions didn't deter offensive production for either Richard Bland or visiting Surry Community College, as the teams split their Breast Cancer Awareness Game on Saturday at Statesman Field. Richard Bland won the opener 8-5, while Surry captured the nightcap 11-4 in Region X Conference action.

In each team's victory, offense made the difference as Richard Bland scored seven runs in its home third inning to take the opener, while Surry banged out 19 hits and scored a run in all but one inning to capture the second game.

The split leaves Richard Bland at 13-15, 9-3, while Surry goes to 12-20, 6-3. RBC returns to action on Friday, April 15 with a doubleheader against Wake Tech Community College starting at 3 p.m. Surry next hosts Richard Bland on Saturday, April 16 at Noon.

Richard Bland 8, Surry Community College 5

Down 3-1 after two innings, the Statesmen exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the third inning, all coming with two outs. The key blow in the inning came from freshman Maddison Waycaster, who dropped a double into left field that scored freshmen Shannon Buffington and Tabby Dabney that put RBC ahead 4-3. Not satisfied with that slim margin, sophomore Whitney Clements drilled a triple in her second at bat in the inning into the left field corner with the bases loaded, plating freshman August Ringer and sophomores Hannah Barnes and Kimberly Ellis. In the game-changing third inning, the Statesmen pounded out six of their nine hits in the contest.

Buffington earned her 12^th win of the year in the circle for Richard Bland, scattering seven hits in her 10^th complete game of the season. Six RBC miscues contributed to Surry's five runs, although only one of those tallies were earned.

Surry opened the game with a brief 1-0 lead after Taylor Little singled and was brought home on a double by Brooke Bagwell. The Knights attempted to nick away at the RBC lead, getting a run in both the fourth and fifth innings, but Buffington closed the door with two hitless innings in the final two frames.

The Knights were methodical in earning an 11-4 victory, scoring a run in each inning but the second. Megan Linville quieted the Statesmen bats, allowing four runs over six innings. She struck out three, walked four and allowed five hits.

The Knights were sparked by Hayley Tickle, who had five hits

Surry Community College and Linville, who teamed up for 11 hits and three RBIs.

A two-run fourth inning helped bring the Statesmen back into the contest. An RBI single by freshman Morgan Whitley and a RBI single by Waycaster got RBC going, but the Knights tacked on three additional runs in fifth off three singles. Richard Bland scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth, getting a steal of home from Brittany Wash and a sacrifice fly by Whitley that brought home Clements, who laced a triple in the inning, her second of the doubleheader.