Friday – July 27 – 4:45 pm vs Va. Seminoles- Everett @ Rad. Univ.
Saturday – July 28- 9 am vs Richmond Braves-T Mayers @ Rad. Univ.
Saturday – July 28 – 1 pm vs Garciaparra Baseball Group @ Rad. Municipal Field
Sunday – July 29 – 3:15 pm vs TBC @ Va. Tech
Come out and watch some good travel baseball… Tigers have players from 9 different high schools. Its a showcase weekend and players will use aluminum bats.
Rain, rain and more rain. That was the case for the NRV Tigers as they got to play just one of three scheduled games out in Sevierville, Tn. Friday evening the Tigers came from behind to tie Pro Concepts at seven all for their only decision for the weekend. Hard rain all Friday night into early Saturday made the fields unplayable for their other two games, that was scheduled for Saturday.
Down 7-3 after five innings NRV scored two runs in the top of the sixth and two more in the seventh to tie the contest at seven. The game was then called after the bottom of the seventh was completed due to the time limit. Grayson Co.’s Shawn Campbell pitched four innings as he allowed three runs on five hits. He walked one and struck out eight. He also helped himself at the plate going two for four. Both of his hits were doubles, as he knocked in two runs. Logan Altizer had a triple that scored two runs. Leighton Dunford and Nick Funk both had triples as well, for the Tigers and each scored a run.
Daniel Cook, Andrew Neighbors and Chris Meredith had one RBI each for the Tigers who are now 6-1-2 on the summer travel circuit. They will be playing Friday – Sunday, July 27-29 at either Radford University, Va. Tech or Pulaski Co. High School. Their exact schedule will be posted as soon as it is released.
NRV Tigers 7 R – 13 H – 1 E – 9 LOB
Pro Concepts 7 R – 7 H – 0 E – 7 LOB
Friday, July 20 – 5:00 pm vs Pro Concepts @ Smokies Stadium – Kodak, TN.
Saturday, July 21 – 11:20 am vs Mid South Spartans @ Pidgeon Forge High Sch.- Pidgeon Forge, TN.
Saturday, July 21 – 6:20 pm vs Diamond Simcox @ Sevier Co. High Sch. – Sevierville, TN.
Radford…The New River Valley Tigers lost their first game of the weekend to Ironbridge (5-2) in a game played at VA Tech. The Tigers committed three errors leading to three unearned runs that they couldn’t overcome.
Tazewell’s Austin Parker was the hard luck loser as he pitched the first two innings. Chris Meredith and Austin Atkins both scored a run, as Grayson Co.’s Shawn Campbell knocked in a run as did Atkins.
The Tigers then would move to Radford University to take Team Virginia. They scored four times in the second inning as they went on to win 4-1. Campbell went four innings, giving up just one hit and striking out four to get the win. He helped himself as he knocked in a run. Fort Chiswell’s Leighton Dunford had two hits and scored a run. Besides Dunford, Andrew Neighbors, Carter Plunkett and Auburn’s Keith Reed all scored a run each. Those four also had an RBI each.
NRV then took on the Carolina Cubs and defeated them 10-5 as Jacob Stuart of Galax pitched 4.1 innings for the mound win. He struck out eight and allowed three earned runs. He also was one for two with a RBI. Campbell and Caleb Pritchard both had three RBIs each. Campbell also scored three runs and Chris Meredith scored twice.
The nightcap, late Sunday, saw the Tigers win 3-2 scoring in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs and a three balls, two strike count, Nick Funk stroked a single in the gap to left center as Caleb Pritchard raced all the way from first for the dramatic win. Daniel Cook got the win as he went the last two innings. Stuart was two for three as well as Pritchard. Funk, Stuart and Cook had one RBI each.
The NRV Tigers head coach Todd Davis remarked, “This was a big win for us. We won our last three games after losing our opening Friday game.” He added by saying, ”I’m proud of how our guys competed and battled after that opening loss. We played and hit the ball better. We got some solid pitching even in the loss. Playing with wooden bats is very different and that’s what these guys are use to. Then pitching on artificial turf on the mound is not normal for us either.”
The three wins move the Tigers to 6-1-1 on the summer circuit. They will be back in action July 20-21, as they will be in Sevierville, Tennessee playing at Smokies Park.
Fri. June 29 – 11:15 am – @ Va. Tech – vs Ironbridge
Sat. June 30 – 1:40 pm – @ Rad Univ. – vs Team Virginia
Sat. June 30 – 5 :00 pm – @ Salem – Red Sox Field – vs Carolina Cubs
Sun. July 1 – 4: 00 pm – @ Salem – Red Sox Field – vs MSI 2019 America
Dublin…Sports fans, another high school sports year has come and gone. It was exciting and at times, disappointing. It was “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat“ just like the old Wide World of Sports show use to say.
There are many people I need to recognize for this past sports season such as Fort Chiswell Pioneer athletic director, Jeff Molinary, and Greg Wade, athletic director at Radford High School, as well as Scott Vest, the Pulaski Co. High School athletic director, for their help and for keeping me informed.
Then there are the coaches, Todd Tiller, Fort Chiswell football, and his staff and Matthew Saunders, Radford football and his staff. I appreciate you for letting me have access to both of your programs and letting me hang out. Andrew Hart, the Pulaski Co. Cougar basketball head coach, for allowing me to cover him and allowing me to keep his scorebook along with his assistants, Jonathan Penn and Brandon Smith for their help. Derrick Jackson head basketball and baseball man at Fort Chiswell allowed me to cover him and his staff in both sports. I appreciate Rick Cormany of Radford basketball for letting me cover him and his staff for their help. I also need to say I appreciate Fort Chiswell principal, Dyer Jackson, and Radford principal, Jeff Smith. Other people I’d like to thank are Darden Freeman, Ken Keister, Mike Roop, Shane Roop, Harriet Farris, Guenther Schlottman, Scotty Scott, Rupert Hill and Tina Quesenberry. Todd Davis of the NRV Tigers baseball tam has also helped to keep me up to date with his travel baseball team.
That brings me to baseball, and besides Coach Jackson of Fort Chiswell, Greg Ridpath of Radford has let me be a nuisance. Lastly, I need to say I appreciate Jared King and Zac Chrisley for allowing me to be in the Cougar dugout. Jared King, I hate to see you leave the dugout. I’ve enjoyed covering you these last five years of coaching the Cougars.
As of this writing Pulaski Co. is in the process of interviewing for a new head baseball coach. I understand there’s been a lot of interest and here’s hoping the right person will be hired to head the Cougar baseball program. One finally thing on Jared, the hottest I saw him was this season at Christianburg. A call was made that, in my eyes, was not correct. Jared went from the third base coaching box to home plate in nothing flat, telling the umpire he missed the call. He wasn’t thrown out because, in my opinion, the ump missed the call and let Coach King have his say. I didn’t know Jared could still move that fast. He will be missed.
Speaking of baseball, VHSL needs to step up and find some way of getting this pitch count of pitchers coordinated. In the Radford at Giles game there was a pitch count mistake or error made by the home team. Home team count is suppose to be the official count, but when there’s a miscount in a close game that keeps the home team pitcher in longer, something has to be done to correct that! Then there was a team that tried to re-enter a baseball player versus the Cougars at Cougar Field, but that wasn’t the person that they tried to put back in order for. Things happen that you have to keep an eye on.
Speaking of being at home and being official, there was a problem at Patrick Henry back in late January. The scorekeeper was trying to keep an eye on her child and keep the official scorebook as well. The game came to the seventh foul called on them and she had marked only six. Up to then we both had six on the Patriots. But no, that foul was the sixth instead of Cougars going into one and one. Referee comes over and says that we have to go with home book. They keep the official count. They were wrong, but official! Obviously hard to babysit and try to keep scorebook at same time, well duh.
Basketball saw Salem use a player that his jersey number wasn’t in the book. Coach was told. He wanted to put the name and number in the book and I said sure, after we call the ref over to tell him. Couple shots at free throw line later, the matter was straightened out. At Fort Chiswell during their Christmas Tournament, no foul shots were given on what should have been one-and- one. One of the best times this past season was when I got to keep score for Pulaski Co. versus Gate City at the Adam Ward Basketball Classic in Salem. Cougars played a heck of a game but lost. Gate City’s Mac McClung scored 44 points that afternoon as the Georgetown University bound player hit all sorts of shots. Then to be at Radford University to cover Gate City and Radford State Semifinal game was a big thrill. Gate City played their best defensive game of the year to beat the undefeated Bobcats. The place was packed and the line to get into was all the way around the Dedmon Center. Here’s hoping VHSL goes back to supersites for the regional semifinal and finals. It sure is great to see different teams in one place and the different styles the teams play, instead of one game here, one game there. I’m also happy to say the Cougar basketball team will participate in the Fort Chiswell Christmas Tournament this coming season. It will be three games in three days. Beside the Cougars, Fort Chiswell and Radford both are entered. The other five teams are to be announced. The games are played at Fort Chiswell High School after Christmas but before New Year’s Day. There also is a junior varsity tournament played there over the Holiday break.
Fort Chiswell Pioneer football went 7-4 and made the playoffs for the second year in a row. That’s not bad for a program that three seasons ago went 0-10. They are 16-8 the last two years. They will be competitive again this year as they lost only four starters off of the 7-4 squad. That brings me to Radford Bobcat football. They had one of those seasons that, if it would go wrong, it did. That explains their 2-8 record. They used, I believe, five different players at quarterback. They lost a player to cancer. One player got hurt walking out onto the practice field. Seven of their eight losses were by a total of 37 points. They led going into the fourth quarter in seven of those eight losses. Injuries, inexperience and just plain bad luck cost them that losing season. For those people that have been calling for a new football coach there, things could be lot worse. Try to support and back the coaches. They have won before and will again.
Well, that about does it for me and looking back at the high school sports season. Football is just around the corner. Football scrimmages start around August 10 and benefit games August 17. Regular season gets under way Friday August 24. Before all those dates though, there are seven-on-seven practices, weight lifting and practices. Then there are the good ole two-a-days. Have a great summer and hope to see you on a football field near you.
The NRV Tigers travel baseball team started their season off by going 3-0-1 in their initial weekend of play, held at East Tennessee State University. The tie was with All Out Baseball by the score of 8-8. That was the second game of the day and after the Tigers had walloped the Short Pump Bandits 18-0. In the 18-0 win, former Pulaski Co. Cougar Bailey Ayers doubled and scored a run, while Fort Chiswell’s Leighton Dunford doubled, walk and scored twice while knocking in two. Chris Meredith, Shawn Campbell, AJ Cacciatorie and Tristan Shrewsbury all had two RBIs each. Galax’s Jacob Stuart got the win on the hill as he struck out four and allowed just three hits.
The tie game saw the Tigers battle back from being down 8-5 going into the fifth. The game was called in the sixth inning by the time limit. It also saw the All Out team walk off and didn’t shake hands with the Tigers. Dunford was three for three , as he had a double and triple. He scored one run and had four RBIs. Keith Reed of Auburn was two for two with two RBIs and two runs scored. Austin Parker of Tazewell and Stuart were the two pitchers used in the the game by the Tigers.
Then on Sunday the Tigers got two pitching gems from Leighton Dunford , Shawn Campbell and Taylor Newcome. They defeated Ktown Bombers 6-0 behind Dunford’s complete game as he tossed a two-hitter. He struck out six and threw just 69 pitches in the seven innings. He also helped himself at the plate as he singled, walked scored a run and knocked in one. Chris Meredith of Grayson Co. hit a home run, was two for three at the plate. His fellow Grayson Co. teammate – Shawn Campbell was two for three with a triple and scored a run. Ayers was two for three and scored a run. The other game saw the Tigers beat the Lenior Oilers 10-1. Campbell went four innings striking out five and gave up two hits. He was relieved by Newcome as he struck out three in his one inning. Meredith went two for four, scored three times as he hit a triple and double. Carter Plunkett scored four runs and had one RBI. Caleb Pritchard knocked in two and Cacciatorie had RBI and two hits. Tiger head coach Todd Davis said,” We hit the ball well all weekend and we got some outstanding pitching ,too. I thought Dunford( Leighton ) was outstanding in his seven inning complete game.” He then added,” We scored what 42 runs and had 42 hits and allowed just 17 hits and nine runs in four games.”
The Tigers will be back in action June 29-30 and July 1 at Va. Tech and Radford.
Tazewell southpaw pitcher/ outfielder Sid Willis has committed to Concord (WV) University to further his playing baseball career and future. Willis helped Tazewell to make the state regionals the last two years. He pitched last summer for the New River Valley Tigers. Willis pitched 66 innings this year for Tazewell, striking out 124. He had a 1.69 era. This past summer/ fall he had 47 k’s in 24 innings with a 2.05 era. NRV Tigers head coach Todd Davis remarked,” Sid has been with the Tigers since the original 2012 team. I’ve seen him grow and turn into unbelievable pitcher. He is very intimidating on the mound and I think D1 teams missed out. ” He then added .” Coach Smith at Concord told me they got a steal. Sid has grown into a great young man.”
June 15 -17 – @ East Tenn. St. Univ.
June 29- July 1 -@ Va. Tech / Radford
July 20-21 – @ Sevierville, Tn. – Smokies Stadium @ Kodak, TN. ( Minor League Park)
July 27 -29 – @ Va. Tech / Radford
Aug. 4-5 – @ Roanoke Showcase – Roanoke Area High Sch. Fields
The New River Valley Tigers 17U travel baseball team had another one of their players to commit to further his baseball playing days and his education. Logan Altizer has committed to UVA-Wise. He will be joined there by fellow NRV Tiger player Jacob Stuart. Altizer, who plays for Cave Spring High School, had a batting average of.400 this past summer. He had one home run and knocked in 14. He had 10 stolen bases and had a .487 on-base percentage. Tiger head coach Todd Davis remarked, “Logan was a great teammate to the guys. He made my job a fun one daily.” He then added, “I love him like he’s mine and so proud of him.” Logan only got to play 14 games due to an injury.
(Photography courtesy Todd Davis)
