Richard Bland Sweeps Surry (N.C.) Community College 7-6, 9-3

Doubleheader Video Highlights (YouTube)

SOUTH PRINCE GEORGE, Va. – Freshman Kay'Lee Justice/Suffolk had three hits and five RBIs, including two home runs, and classmate Kennedy Presson/Wakefield had two hits and three RBIs, including a home run, to lead Richard Bland College to a Region 10 softball doubleheader sweep past Surry (N.C.) Community College on Saturday at the RBC Softball Field.  Sophomore Katelyn Cobb/Newsoms gained the pitching victory in the come-from-behind 7-6 opener for the host Statesmen (18-18, 12-7), while freshman Brooklynn Bilyard/Culpeper earned a save in the opener before taking the complete-game pitching triumph in the 9-3 nightcap against the visiting Knights (14-22, 5-11). 

In the first game, Richard Bland scored seven runs on 10 hits, plating one run in the second inning, two runs in the third and four runs in the decisive fifth inning.  In the second, freshman Taylor Daniel/Alberta (1-4, RBI) reached on an error that allowed sophomore Katelyn King/Chesterfield (1-4), who had singled, to score an unearned run.  In the third, Justice (2-3, 2 RBIs) hit a two-run home run to right center field that also plated sophomore Tabby Dabney/Mechanicsville (2-3), who had reached on a wild pitch after a strikeout.

In the fifth, Presson (1-4, 3 RBIs) hit an opposite field three-run home run to right that also scored Dabney and Justice … each had singled.  Daniel added a two-out, RBI single that plated sophomore Morgan Whitley/Franklin (1-2), who had doubled.

Dabney and Justice each collected two hits in game one for Richard Bland.

Sophomore Shannon Buffington/Virginia Beach started in the circle and tossed the first 3.1 innings, scattering six hits and five runs, three earned, with no strikeouts and one walk.  Cobb pitched 1.2 innings for the win, allowing three hits and one run, earned, with no strikeouts and no walks.  Bilyard tossed the final 2.0 scoreless innings for the save, yielding two hits with one strikeout and no walks. 

In the second game, Richard Bland scored nine runs on 10 hits, including two runs in the first inning, one run in the third and three runs each in the fourth and sixth innings.  In the first, freshman Ashley Fritz/North Chesterfield (2-3, 3 RBIs) provided a clutch two-out, two-run double that plated Daniel (3-3, RBI) and Dabney (1-4), who had walked and singled, respectively.  In the third, Fritz again doubled, this time down the right field line to score Dabney, who had singled to reach base.

In the fourth, Daniel added a run-scoring single to score Whitley (0-3), and Bilyard had a two-run single to push both King (0-2) and sophomore August Ringer/Yale (0-1) across the plate.  Whitley, King and Ringer each drew walks during the at-bat.  In the sixth, Justice (1-3, 3 RBIs) provided insurance runs with her second homer of the day, a two-out, three-run blast to right center field again that also plated Daniel and Bilyard, who had each singled.  Justice now has seven home runs on the season, and the Statesmen increased their new program-record to 27 homers in 2017.

Daniel had three hits, while Bilyard and Fritz each had two hits in game two for Richard Bland.

Bilyard (5-2) started in the circle and tossed the complete-game 7.0 innings, scattering nine hits and three runs, one earned, with four strikeouts and three walks. 

Richard Bland, winners of six-straight games, remains at home to welcome Region 10 member Patrick Henry Community College for a doubleheader on Friday, April 21 at 3 p.m. at the RBC Softball Field.