Two down, one to go

WINDSOR — Different age group but the same results for a Bill Ewers coached team. The Roanoke Valley U14 all-stars got off to a 2-0 start in the Babe Ruth district tournament and advanced to today’s U14 championship game. In the blistering heat the Roanoke Valley girls defeated Camden, 10-4, on Friday and quickly recovered to beat Dare County, 12-4, yesterday morning. The Roanoke Valley all-stars will play in the title game today at noon against the winner of the Dare County-Camden contest. Ewers led the U12 team to back to back titles before moving up to the U14 division with a majority of the same girls.

And the group played like a well oil machine in both games, picking up big hits and more importantly playing stellar defense. Against Camden Caitlin Ewers started on the mound and struck out 12 Camden batters in 90 plus degree heat. Yesterday Kallie Arthur started the game at pitcher and retired nine batters.

“Both of our pitchers did an outstanding job, especially in the heat,” Coach Ewers said.

The U14 bats were pretty hot both days also. Friday against Camden the Roanoke Valley all-stars exploded for four runs in the top of the third inning that broke open the contest. Roanoke Valley held a 1-0 after  lead afteran RBI from Connor Massey, but really got going in the third. Jessie Jones scored a run after Karissa Moss and Torie Ladendorf singled and the hitting got contagious. Sara Abernathy and Ewers each followed with an RBI and the other thing that slowed down the Roanoke Valley team was a 30 minute rain delay. However, the Roanoke Valley all-stars picked up where they left off in the fifth. Arthur scored a run to make it, 6-1, and Ewers hit a 2RBI double to put the Roanoke Valley team ahead seven, 8-1. Camden picked up three runs in the bottom of the sixth, but Roanoke Valley put the game away in the top of the seventh, picking up an unearned run and an RBI from Abernathy.

Saturday against Dare County was pretty much the same story as the bats were still hot for Roanoke Valley. The all-stars loaded the bases every inning and never looked back behind some good pitching from Arthur. “Everybody contributed today,” Ewers said. “It was a team effort. A good outing and a good all around effort.”

Now Ewers will try to make it three titles in a row today at noon, and if the temperature expected in the high 90’s again this year the coach will welcome another Gatorade bath.