By Tray Mason
Correspondent

Playing in a district in which every game is pivotal towards the elusive Southeastern District Title, Nansemond River came up big on Wednesday, beating Grassfield 4-2.

Zach Rice pitched his second career complete game on his way to the win, striking out nine Grizzly batters. The biggest of those strikeouts came on the last play of the game.

With the Warriors up 4-2 in the top of the ninth inning, Rice got the first two outs of the inning on five pitches, and looked to be well on his way to closing the game with no issue.

He walked Kyle Salladay in the next at-bat, and Dean Lowery singled to right field in his trip to the plate, putting Grassfield runners on first and second base with two outs.

Max Burcham singled in the following at-bat, but quick fielding from NR’s Kyle Moore kept the Grizzlies from scoring.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Rice struck out Grassfield’s Kyle Walker on a 2-2 pitch to end the game.

“Just strike the last guy out,” Rice recalled thinking during the biggest moment of the game.

There was no shortage of drama in the first six innings, either.

Both teams went scoreless through the first three innings. Although the Warriors had opportunities to score, they left five runners on base in those first three innings.

The tie was broken after a monster home run from Grassfield’s Niykolai Ellis in the fourth inning gave the Grizzlies a 2-0 lead.

The Warriors answered in the fifth inning, starting with a huge triple from Trevor Riggs. Tyler Brown hit a sacrifice fly in the following at-bat, to set the score at 2-1. Riggs went 2 for 3 with two RBI’s at the plate.

Brandon Lowe hit NR’s second triple of the inning with two outs, and Zach Vann brought him home with a double that shot through the infield. Suddenly, the game was tied, 2-2.

Ryan O’Hara tripled to centerfield in the bottom half of the sixth inning for the Warriors, scoring Blake Eure, who walked to start the inning, and giving NR their first lead of the game.

Riggs again delivered when stepping into the batters box, this time with a double to right field that scored O’Hara and put NR up 4-2.

With the win, the Warriors stay alive in a tight race for first place in the SED. They trail Western Branch and district leader Hickory by two games.

The Warriors close the week against Indian River, to whom they lost in their first matchup this season. They then have a showdown with Hickory on April 24 at Harbor Park in Norfolk.