Suffolk News-Herald

Will Hirsch blasted a two-run homer to give Nansemond River a 4-0 lead over Green Run Wednesday in the Nansemond River Invitational, then made the lead stand up from the mound, holding GR to three runs (only one of which was earned) in six innings of the Warriors’ 4-3 victory. Hirsch’s blast, his second of the season, doubled a 2-0 advantage in the fourth inning before GR made a late run that was simply too late.

With one out in the second, Matt Wylie singled up the middle. Dennis Conley hammered a line drive double to the right field fence to score him, and a two-bagger into left field by Jeremy Riggs brought in Conley. Chris Williams singled in the fourth before Hirsch’s round-tripper to the left of the scoreboard provided for ultimately the game-winning runs.

&uot;(The pitcher) left it down the middle of the plate, and I put it over the trees,&uot; Hirsch said.

But he wasn’t quite finished. Two Warrior errors allowed GR to cut the score in half in the fifth, and three walks and another pair of errors grabbed them another run in the sixth. &uot;I thought I did fine,&uot; Hirsch said, &uot;but I could have been a bit better. I got cranky because it was so early in the morning!&uot;

Riggs came to the mound. &uot;All I was thinking was win,&uot; he said. &uot;I was getting frustrated that things were falling apart so late in the game.&uot; He struck out the first two batters, but walked the third.

&uot;That actually boosted me up a little more,&uot; he said. &uot;I wanted to get the next batter.&uot; He did so, as the hitter knocked the first pitch straight up in the air to Eric Berry at first to end the game.

Brian Ashburn singled home Chase Nelson for Lakeland in the first inning, but Kempsville scored in the fifth to move the game to extra innings, and pushed across two more runs in the 11th to take a 3-1 victory. Robert Hedrick struck out 12 and allowed just two hits in the first nine innings for the Cavaliers.

Weather permitting, the teams return to action today, with the Cavaliers taking on Tallwood at 3 p.m. and River facing Landstown at 5.

In softball action, Nansemond-Suffolk Academy walked to a 7-4 victory over St. Joe’s (SJ) of Ohio. Four walks forced home four runs for the Lady Saints in the bottom of the fifth inning to secure the victory.

SJ jumped ahead 1-0 in the first inning, but Jessica Little, Katie Byrd and Ann-Taylor Spain loaded the bases with walks, and Brittney Wilkins scored Little on a fielder’s choice in the second.

Mary Speight walked to open the third, and Lindsay Jarman bunted her to second. Little walked, and Speight scored on a fielder’s choice by Caroline Parker.

Byrd singled in Little, but SJ tied the score with runs in the fourth and fifth. But in the bottom of the inning, Megan Patterson, Little and Parker walked to load the bases, and Byrd, Spain and Wilkins grabbed free passes to score them. Speight walked to force in Byrd, and the Lady Saints had a 7-3 lead.

SJ scored in the sixth, but Little sent them down in the seventh, recording the last of her seven strikeouts, for the win.

Again, weather permitting, the team will host Oswego (N.Y.) today.