Richard Bland Welcomes Wake Tech (N.C.) On Friday (April 28)
Please note RBC-WTCC doubleheader date has been rescheduled for Friday, April 28 at 3 p.m. / Statesmen play at Pitt (N.C.) CC on Thursday, April 27 at 3 p.m.
SOUTH PRINCE GEORGE, Va. -- Richard Bland College will welcome Region 10 opponent Wake Technical (N.C.) Community College for a softball doubleheader on Friday, April 28 at 3 p.m. at the RBC Softball Field. The Statesmen are 20-18 overall, 14-7 in Region 10, winners of eight-straight games and currently in third place among the seven region schools competing in the sport. The Eagles are 3-21 overall, 1-19 in Region 10, currently in seventh place. It will be Sophomore Day in recognition of the eight second-year team members.
Scouting the Statesmen
Richard Bland is 20-18 overall after sweeping a region doubleheader past visiting Patrick Henry Community College on April 21 (5-1, 8-0). The Statesmen, who received votes again in this week's NJCAA Division II Poll, are coached by head coach Katy Lampman, who is in her first season, while assisted by first-year assistant coaches Cassidy Clayton, Pete Berrios and Danielle Beverly.
Through 38 games, Richard Bland has been led offensively by sophomore Tabby Dabney/Mechanicsville, who is hitting .458 with nine home runs, one triple, 14 doubles, 42 runs, 45 RBIs and five stolen bases. Dabney is followed by freshmen Taylor Daniel/Alberta (.423, 1 3B, 7 2Bs, 36 Rs, 15 RBIs, 3 SBs), Ashley Fritz/North Chesterfield (.421, 3 3Bs, 10 2Bs, 21 Rs, 24 RBIs, 2 SBs), Brooklynn Bilyard/Culpeper (.408, 5 HRs, 1 3B, 12 2Bs, 31 Rs, 37 RBIs, 9 SBs), Kay'Lee Justice/Suffolk (.397, 7 HRs, 3 3Bs, 13 2Bs, 37 Rs, 41 RBIs, 2 SBs) and Kara Morris/Kents Store (.361, 1 3B, 3 2Bs, 27 Rs, 9 RBIs, 5 SBs), along with sophomores Katelyn King/Chesterfield (.360, 2 HRs, 1 3B, 6 2Bs, 31 Rs, 22 RBIs, 3 SBs), August Ringer/Yale (.320, 2 3Bs, 27 Rs, 6 RBIs, 6 SBs) and Morgan Whitley/Franklin (.305, 6 2Bs, 17 Rs, 11 RBIs, 3 SBs). The squad is hitting an impressive .367 with 27 home runs, 13 triples, 87 doubles and 252 RBIs, while scoring 8.1 runs per game. The totals for season hits (413), home runs, doubles and RBIs are new program records.
The Statesmen pitching staff has been led by Brooklynn Bilyard, along with sophomore Shannon Buffington/Virginia Beach and Tabby Dabney. Bilyard is 6-2 with a 3.72 earned run average and 61 strikeouts over 58.1 innings with five complete games in 16 appearances, including 10 starts and two saves. Buffington is 6-9 with a 4.35 ERA and 36 strikeouts over 83.2 innings with seven complete games in 21 appearances, including 16 starts. Dabney is 5-6 with a 4.46 ERA and 43 strikeouts over 69.0 innings with five complete games in 17 appearances, including 12 starts. The team ERA is 4.21 with 147 strikeouts over 226.1 innings.
Series History
Richard Bland and Wake Tech are playing for the 16th and 17th times, and the Statesmen have never lost a game to the Eagles, leading the series at 15-0. Richard Bland swept a road doubleheader on March 30 in North Carolina … winning the first game 15-1 and the second game 13-4.
Sophomore Class
Richard Bland will recognize its eight sophomores during a special pregame ceremony, including Shannon Buffington, Katelyn Cobb/Newsoms, Tabby Dabney, Tiffany Hedge/Fredericksburg, Sierra Johnson/Capron, Katelyn King, August Ringer and Morgan Whitley. Buffington has made 53 career appearances with a 20-19 record, 3.37 ERA, 84 strikeouts and 226.1 innings. Cobb has made 18 appearances with a 3-8 record, 5.14 ERA, 19 strikeouts and 46.1 innings. Dabney has played in 60 career games with a .418 batting average, nine home runs, 15 doubles, 50 runs and 57 RBIs, while in the circle, she has made 28 appearances with a 9-8 record, 4.40 ERA, 60 strikeouts and 109.2 innings. Johnson has played in 21 games with a .323 batting average, one home run, two doubles, six runs and nine RBIs. King has played in 54 games with a .331 batting average, three home runs, seven doubles, 37 runs and 29 RBIs. Ringer has played in 68 games with a .318 batting average, three triples, 39 runs and 14 RBIs. Whitley has played in 66 games with a .304 batting average, eight doubles, 30 runs and 24 RBIs. Hedge played in six games this season before being diagnosed with advanced Hodgkin's Lymphoma in February. A gofundme page, linked below, has been established and all money raised will go toward helping Tiff pay for her medical bills.
#TiffanyStrong
Up Next
Richard Bland will travel to play in the Region 10 Tournament scheduled for May 5-6 at Springwood Park in Burlington, North Carolina.