PHOTO BY BRIAN HOFFMAN
The Salem High baseball team won a big River Ridge District game Tuesday when they took a 5-3 win at Blacksburg. It was just as important in the Region 4D standings are the Bruins are also a Class 4 team.
With the win Salem moved into first place in the district. The Spartans are now 7-1 in the district and Blacksburg has lost twice. Salem’s only district loss was to Blacksburg, so earning the split gave Salem sole possession of first place and a chance to host the district championship game if they win out.
The Spartans got up early with four runs in the first inning. Carter Black and Trace Monroe walked, then Brayden White beat out a bunt to load the bases. Ben Keffer walked to force in a run, Thomas Millard drove in a second on a fielders’ choice and Mason Hale singled in two.
Salem got a fifth run in the top of the third on freshman Aiden Poff’s first varsity home run. That was welcome as the Bruins scored three in the bottom of the inning, paced by a two run homer.
Monroe pitched for the Spartans and picked up the win. He pitched into the seventh before reaching his pitch count and Zach Bocock came on to get the save despite walking two to load the bases before getting a strikeout to end the game.
With the win Salem is now 11-5 overall. The Spartans lost a wild 9-8 game to Northside last week at Billy Sample Field. Salem led 5-3 after six innings only to have the Vikings put six on the board in the top of the seventh. Salem answered back with three in the bottom of the inning, coming up one run short.
On Friday the Spartans bounced back with a 12-2 win over Cave Spring in Salem. Millard crushed a grand slam home run in the fourth inning and Keffer and Jack Stroud had two hits each.
Brayden White got his first start on the mound and gave up two runs on four hits while fanning three over three and a third innings. Stroud relieved in the fourth and threw two and two-thirds innings of scoreless baseball.
The Spartans had a big game in Lynchburg against region foe E.C. Glass on Wednesday, but results were too late for publication. On Friday they’ll play a 5 pm game at Hidden Valley.
