Softball Completes Tripleheader Sunday

By Bryant Marks

LOUISBURG, NC -- Playing their first tripleheader of the season, the softball team of Richard Bland College goes 1-2 against three regional opponents with all games being played at Louisburg College.

RBC Softball is now 2-2 for the 2020 season.  Pitching has played a large role in their victories and their losses have all been close hard-fought games.  Their next set of games will be against Christopher Newport in Newport News.  That doubleheader will be played at CNU on Tuesday, February 18, at 3 and 5 PM.

Game 1

The first game of Sunday's three was against CCBC Catonsville out of Maryland.  A tied ball game until the last inning until Terri Jackson grounded out to score one run to put the Statesmen up 3-2.  They would hold Catonsville scoreless in the bottom half of the seventh to win the game 3-2.  Brittany Cobb hit the Statesmen's first home run of the season in the game today on a solo shot in the fourth inning.  Cobb went 1 for 3 with 1 RBI and 1 run and Jamie Fields led all hitters going 2 for 4.  Rachel Watson went the full 7 innings for RBC, giving up 2 hits, 2 earned runs, and striking out 12.

Game 2

Catawba Valley Community College was the second opponent for Richard Bland today.  The Statesmen watched the lead grow bigger and bigger early on in the game as Catawba scored 5 runs in the first two innings.  The team would chip away at the lead thanks to two home runs by Jackie Westfall and Ellen Palya, but it was not enough.  The final score after the seventh inning saw Catawba winning 8-5.  Westfall was one triple away from completing the rare cycle, going 4 for 4 on the game with 3 RBIs and 1 run.  Palya ended the game with 1 for 4 with 2 RBIs and 1 run.  On the mound today was a combination of Gabby Shrum, Misty Even, and Ellen Palya with Even eating up 4 of the 7 innings in the game and striking out 4 on 2 earned runs.

Game 3

The last game of Sunday's tripleheader was against the host team and conference rival, Louisburg College.  RBC would go scoreless in the first three innings while the Hurricanes scored two runs of their own.  In the fourth Haley Godfrey would single and score Misty Even, cutting the Louisburg lead to just 1.  The team could not cut the deficit in the fifth and final inning and would go down 2-1 against their opponents.  Godfrey led the Statesmen at the plate today, going 1 for 2 with 1 RBI, while Even scored the lone run after drawing two walks.  Palya was on the mound for RBC today going the complete game and giving up 4 hits, 2 earned runs, 6 Ks, and 4 batters walked.