Giants top Streaks

Five first-inning errors that led to five runs gave Waynesboro a lead it couldn’t lose against Harrisonburg on Tuesday afternoon.

Waynesboro scored half of its 14 runs off errors and picked up its first win of the season, defeating the Blue Streaks 14-4 at Kate Collins Middle School.

The Blue Streaks committed eight total errors in the game.

“[Harrisonburg] has a good team,” said Waynesboro coach John Hull. “Their shortstop [Carrie Brown] got most of the outs for them. We just got the breaks and they didn’t. I can’t be any prouder, after the two big losses we had.”

After Harrisonburg pitcher Brooke Cam struck out Kayla Bartley to start the first inning, five of the next six runners would cross the plate. All but Heather Sutton, who hit an RBI single to bring in Norah Curtis, would reach base by a Blue Streak error.

“That’s what killed us,” said Streaks coach Nicole Moran. “There were too many errors.”

Waynesboro batted around the lineup in the first, and Jay Brown and Courtnie Painter both scored in the second. Brown reached second on a double and scored after another Blue Streaks error. Painter scored on a squeeze play with Brenda Price on first.

On the defensive end, the Little Giants’ youth showed, but the team was able to clamp down and keep the Streaks from causing much damage.

Harrisonburg didn’t get a hit off Little Giants pitcher Bartley until the third inning, when Taylor Adams poked one into the outfield. Adams eventually would cross the plate after a wild pitch and a passed ball.

In the late innings, Harrisonburg settled down and scored three more times and committed only one more error, but the damage had already been done.

“I think we just cut down on the errors and got back to the top of the order,” Moran said about the turnaround.

All of the Little Giants’ starters reached base and only one didn’t cross the plate in the win.

First-year coach Hull said he is working to get the team better prepared for its upcoming district schedule.

“We need to improve on our fundamentals,” he said.

The Little Giants played Tuesday’s game with only one reserve player. Waynesboro started the season with 11 players on the roster, but an early injury brought the number down to 10.

“We are going to do what we can,” Hull said. “If the effort is there, we will be fine.”

Waynesboro (1-2, 0-0 Southern Valley) will return to action on Friday, traveling to Turner Ashby.