Two softball teams that could really use a win will go head-to-head today when Salem High plays host to Glenvar. The first pitch is scheduled for 5 pm at the James I. Moyer Complex.
Salem and Glenvar are traditionally strong in softball, but this has been a tough year for both. The Spartans are 5-13 after falling Patrick Henry at the Moyer Complex Tuesday, 4-3, and Glenvar is 4-14 with two of the wins being forfeit victories against Martinsville.
The Spartans won the first meeting between the two border rivals, 10-0 at Glenvar, but the young Highlanders have shown steady improvement since then. Although the record doesn’t show it, the Highlanders have been competitive against some good teams. The Three Rivers District is a tough one and Glenvar lost by just one run against Floyd, one of the top teams in the 3RD.
Last Thursday at Glenvar the Highlanders picked up their first district win played on the field, as they downed visiting Radford, 13-10, on “Senior Night.” The Bobcats held a 2-1 lead after the first inning but Glenvar used a strong second inning to take the lead and led until the top of the sixth when Radford put four on the board for a 10-8 lead.
Early in the season the Highlanders might have folded at this point, but not this time. In the bottom of the sixth Hayden Hartz was hit by a pitch and scored on a single by Augusta Ford. Cora Meade was hit by a pitch, then Audrey Moles doubled to score Ford.
With runners on second and third, two outs, and the score tied 10-10 slugging Zella Hayes came to the plate. Radford opted to intentionally walk Hayes, loading the bases for Mary Baldwin University commit Haley Leginus.
At this point Glenvar coach Lonnie Raines called time out to talk to Leginus. “Haley, they don’t think you can get a hit here, make them pay,” said Raines, and Haley followed with a bases clearing double for a 13-10 Glenvar lead.
Freshman pitcher Jaycee Nunley retired the side on three grounders in the top of the seventh to earn the win. Jaycee went the distance on the mound, fanning four and allowing 13 hits. Glenvar had 16 hits with Hayes, Leginus and Chloe Maxey each having three while Moles, Hartz and Ford had two each.
Meanwhile, Salem was at Christiansburg on Friday night and lost 11-1 to the host Blue Demons. Evie Van Liew doubled in Kayden Dalton in the first inning but that was all the offense Salem could muster. Christiansburg took the lead with three runs in the third inning and put it away with five in the bottom of the fifth.
Kennedy Pinkerman took the loss in the circle for the Spartans. In addition to Van Liew, Piper Furmage, Reagan Van Doren and Kathryn Wise had hits for the Spartans. In Tuesday’s loss to PH Van Liew had an RBI and Wise and Furmage had hits.
After tonight’s home game with Glenvar the Salemites will host Pulaski County for a River Ridge District game on Friday night. That will wrap up the regular season for Salem.
