Riverside Pirates 11, West Liberty-Salem Tigers 6
Riverside erupted for 10 runs in the first two innings and held off West Liberty-Salem 11-6 in the Tigers’ season opener. The Pirates improve to 2-1 on the young season.
The Tigers struck first, as Kiersten Stoll doubled to center, stole third, and scored on a sac bunt from Karlee Lucas to take a 1-0 lead. But Riverside answered immediately with a massive bottom of the first fueled by patience and pressure.
After a leadoff strikeout, Tiger pitcher Emily King hit a batter and walked two to load the bases. Chloe Purtee and Emilee Robinson scored on passed balls, and another passed ball on a dropped third strike allowed Zoey Ransbottom to score while Emma Pope reached safely, making it 3-1.
The Pirates then delivered at the plate, as Eva Dodds and Ellie Zwiebel came through with back-to-back RBI singles to cap a five-run inning and take a 6-1 lead.
Riverside kept rolling in the second. Keira Manahan reached on an error, and after another walk, Robinson ripped a two-run double to left. Another error put more runners on, and Miah Carman followed with a two-run double to center, stretching the lead to 10-1.
West Liberty-Salem chipped away late, highlighted by a two-run homer from Olivia Reichardt, and added runs on a bases-loaded walk, an RBI groundout from Rhyla Branham, and an RBI single from Ashlyn Yeater to make it 11-6. But both teams’ pitching settled in from there, and Riverside’s early outburst held up.
Robinson led the Pirates, going 3-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Stoll finished 2-for-3 for the Tigers, while Reichardt added a two-run homer and scored twice.
