STATESMEN OPENER RESULTS IN A SPLIT WITH LOUISBURG

PETERSBURG, VA, February 22, 2014- Richard Bland finally opened up their season after multiple rain delays against the Hurricanes of Louisburg College.  The Statesmen played well defensively behind pitchers McKenzie Love and Tara Heatwole who both saw time on the mound in the first game.  Love would go on to pitch 4.2 innings striking out four batters and Heatwole came on in relief to strike out three and giving up one earned run.  The bats started to come alive for the Statesmen in the bottom of the sixth inning when Heatwole lined a shot to center field for a double.  Catcher, Toria Arnett came around to score off a fielders choice play at shortstop. The Statesmen pushed across another run in the bottom of the seventh inning, but it wasn't enough offensively to hold off Louisburg, falling 7-3 in the first game.

The Statesmen came out strong offensively in the second game against the Hurricanes with Ayannah Bowman-Williams starting off the hits with a single to center field in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore Sierra Ford hit an RBI triple and would later be brought home on a Krysten Davis RBI Sacrifice bunt. The Statesmen did not score again until the bottom of the 5th inning when Davis came up big with a double to center field scoring Williams-Bowman and Toria Arnett's patience paid off with an RBI walk. Louisburg College came back in the top of thte 6th scoring seven runs to make the score 8-4. Richard Bland answered back with four runs to tie the game at 8-8 going into the final inning. Sophomore Rebecca Condrey started the bottom of the 7th inning off with a lead-off double to center field. Bowman-Williams advanced Condrey to third with a single to the shortstop. Sierra Ford (who finished the day 5-8 at the plate) won the game  with a walk-off single line drive to center field scoring Condrey to win the second game 9-8.

Statistical highlights:

Sierra Ford  5 for 8

Ayannah Bowman-WIlliams 4 for 9

Jordan Byrd 3 for 7

The Statesmen take on another Division I softball program, Pitt Community College, tomorrow at Statesmen Field starting at 12pm and 2pm.