July 2012
23 posts
Rapids eliminated from playoffs
The Rockbridge Rapids’ 2012 season came to a close on Saturday night when the lost to the Harrisonburg Turks for the second time in as many days.
Rockbridge showed that they weren’t fazed by their one hit performance the night before with a two run third inning to take a 2-1 lead, but they did not have enough to top the Turks.
The scoring went back and forth for...
Ortman blanks Rapids
Harrisonburg Turk Dillon Ortman pitched a one-hitter to keep the Rapids off of the bases and off of the scoreboard in the playoff series opener tonight.
Ortman struck out seven while pitching a complete game. The Turk’s sole error came in the third inning when third baseman Andrew Willingham reached first on a fielding error by second baseman Mark Lumpa. Left fielder Eric...
Regular season ends, playoffs begin
The Rapids lost both games of a double-header versus Waynesboro on Wednesday night.
Game one was tied at two for most of the game. The difference in the game was two unearned runs scored by Waynesboro in the top of the seventh inning. The Rapids were unable to score in the bottom of the seventh and lost the game 4-2.
In Game two the Rapids sat out some of their...
Rapids clinch playoff spot
Connor Lewis went 2-4 with three RBI and Heath Gray pitched 1.2 innings of hitless relief in the Rapids 6-2 win over New Market tonight to clinch the third seed in the playoffs.
The Rapids were down 2-0 until the sixth inning until they were able to put together a two-out rally to score three runs.
Shortstop Brody Greer worked a walk with two outs and advanced to...
Magic number down to 1
Starting pitcher Jeremy Jansen held the Covinginton Jacks to just two hits during six innings of pitching and the Rapids scored two runs in the fifth to top the Jacks 2-0 last night.
The Rapids got in trouble on the defensive side of the ball multiple times, including the Jacks loading the bases with no outs in the ninth against closer Kevin McCulloh. McCulloh was able to...
Errors plague the Rapids
A five-run ninth inning was not enough for the Rapids to catch up to the Harrisonburg Turks in a 12-8 loss.
The Rapids were hurt by their five errors. Out of the 12 runs that the Turks scored only six were earned runs.
The game was tied until the top of the fourth inning when the Turks broke open the game and scored four runs off of starter Levi...
Rapids win second in a row
Cole Cromer was able to work out of an early jam and calm down to pitch six innings to earn the victory in an 8-2 Rapids win over the Staunton Braves last night.
In the second inning the Braves had men on second and third with no outs. Cromer was able to get out of the inning without a run scoring.
Cromer allowed just two hits from the third inning on....
Dolan and Gray lead Rapids over Rebels
In another rain shortened game left fielder Cody Dolan went 4-4 to lead the Rapids to a 7-0 victory over the New Market Rebels.
Starting pitcher Heath Gray pitched five scoreless innings before the game was called due to rain.
The Rapids took the lead from the start after loading the bases with just one out in the first inning. Rebel’s starting pitcher Michael...
Rainy summer continues
Tonight’s double-header against Waynesboro has been postponed due to rain. It has been rescheduled for Wednesday, July 25. The first game starts at 6 pm.
Rapids fall 4-0 in shortened game
The Generals stuck first and the Rapids were unable to catch up in a lightning-shortened game last night.
The game, delayed 30 minutes due to rain earlier in the day, was stopped at the start of the bottom of the fifth inning when lightning flashed in the distance. The Generals, holding a 4-0 lead when the delay was initially called, became the victors when the game was...
Jacks cut into Rapids lead for final playoff spot
The Rapids continue to leave men on base, leaving nine men on including six in scoring position in a 6-3 loss to Covington Tuesday evening.
The Rapids took an early lead off of a solo home run by shortstop Brody Greer in the first inning but were unable to keep the Jacks off of the scoreboard.
Rapids’ starter Jeremy Jansen had to work his way out of trouble all...
Rapids lose third home game in a row
The Rockbridge Rapids scored six runs over the course of the seventh and eighth innings but it was not enough to top the Strasburg Express in an 8-6 loss last night.
In a slugfest where every starter on both teams had at least one hit, the two teams combined for twenty seven hits.
Leading the way for the Rapids was first baseman Connor Lewis. Lewis had two...
Rapids stop losing skid
Designated hitter Cody Dolan hit a three run home run and Rapids’ relievers combined for 3.2 innings of scoreless baseball in a Rapids’ 9-5 victory over the Staunton Braves last night.
The game was tight for through the first six innings. The Rapids and Braves were tied at 5 until the top of the sixth inning. The Rapids scored an unanswered run in the sixth before blowing...
Rapids fall to fourth in the division
In a wet pitchers’ duel New Market was able to top Rockbridge 3-0 on Saturday. The second game of the scheduled double-header got postponed due to the rain.
Rapids’ starting pitcher Tyler Broome had a no hitter going through the first five innings of game one, but the Rapids’ offense was unable to give much help.
The Rapids got their only two hits of the...
Jacks cut into Rapids' lead
The Rockbridge Rapids gave up 6 runs in the first inning and were never able to catch up in a 9-1 loss to the Covington Jacks on Friday.
The Jacks were aided by two Rapids’ errors. The Jacks were also aided by a wild pitch on a strikeout that would have been the third out of the inning. The Jacks would have left one man on without scoring.
The Jacks were led...
Tight race to the finish
In a season filled with rainouts, the last two weeks of the regular season are packed with games and a tight race for the final playoff spots in the South Division.
Rockbridge, currently in third place with a 17-14 record, is followed closely by New Market (15-15) and Staunton (16-17).
The Rapids are trying to build a gap between them and the Rebels and...
Rainouts continue
Tonight’s makeup game versus the New Market Rebels was rained out. It will be made up on Saturday when the Rapids’ scheduled game versus New Market becomes a double header. This will be the next time the Rapids play at home, after three away games in a row.
In a game filled with errors, Rapids come out on...
The Rockbridge Rapids were able capitalize on the Front Royal Cardinals eight errors and Kevin McCulloh pitched a scoreless ninth inning on Saturday to come out on top 10-7.
In Front Royal, the Rapids jumped out to a 3-0 lead by the end of the second and led 7-1 after the fourth. The Cardinals pulled to within two in the bottom of the fifth.
The first three...
Rapids lose at home
The Haymarket Senators scored 2 in the second inning and never looked back Friday night, defeating the Rockbridge Rapids 5-2.
Down 5-1 in the bottom of the ninth, the Rapids were able to string together three hits. Aided by an error by Senator second baseman Joe Woodward, the Rapids were able to load the bases with two outs. Second baseman Chandler Smetana hit a single through the...
Valley League All-Stars
The Rockbridge Rapids will be sending four of their own to Front Royal next Monday for the Valley League All-Star game. The Valley League announced this morning that second baseman Chandler Smetana, outfielders Brandon Thigpen and Cody Dolan, and pitcher Kevin McCulloh all received the honor of being a Valley League All Star.
President Bill Luton (left), Head Coach Evan Wise...
Today's Game Cancelled
Due to lack of power at Cap’n Dick Smith Field still tonight’s home game has been postponed. Tomorrow the Rapids travel to Luray for a double header beginning at 5pm.
Rapids Heath Gray (left) and Chase Corn with General Manager Ken Newman help with yardwork and cleanup following Friday’s storms
Games postponed
Due to the remnants of Friday’s severe storms, yesterday’s game against Covington was postponed. Additionally, today’s home game against Waynesboro has been postponed. Cap’n Dick Smith Field currently does not have power. The power should be back on tomorrow for a home game versus Strasburg beginning at 7 pm.
June 2012
14 posts
Rockbridge tops Staunton, 8-5
The Rockbridge Rapids won their fourth home game in a row when the Staunton Braves made the trek to Lexington last night.
The Rapids led the game for good after a four run fifth inning put them on top 7-4.
The Braves threatened two times in the remaining four innings, including scoring a run in the top of the seventh. The Rapids responded in the bottom of the...
2012 MLB Draft
Rockbridge Rapids, new and old, have found themselves drafted in this years’ MLB draft.
Most recently 2012 Rapid Tyler Smith signed with the Texas Rangers last week. For the Rapids, Smith pitched 11.2 innings, accumulating an earned run average of just 1.54 with a 1-0 average. This past year Smith, a sophomore, pitched in 13 games for USC Sumter. Over the course of the...
Rapids extend win streak
The Rockbridge Rapids extended their win streak to three in a row with a win over the Winchester Royals 6-3 at home on Sunday.
Earning the win for the Rapids was Heath Gray, now 2-0. Gray gave up three runs while pitching eight innings.
Leading the way for the Rapids at the plate was right fielder Andrew Barna. Barna went 3 for 4 at the plate with three RBI,...
Rapids win in dramatic fashion
The Rockbridge Rapids won last night over the Front Royal Cardinals, 5-2, thanks to Garrett Furr’s walkoff home run in extras.
Furr came in to pinch hit for Eric Renegar in the bottom of the tenth with one out and men on first and third. Facing Cards’ pitcher Jake McWhirter, Furr launched a pitch over the left field fence above the Domino’s sign at Cap’n Dick Smith Field....
Rapids lose five of seven
In the past week and a half of Valley League Baseball play, the Rockbridge Rapids won just two of their seven games played.
The Rapids started off the streak with a heartbreaking loss to the New Market Rebels on June 14th. In their second meeting of the season the Rapids were leading 3-0 entering the bottom of the seventh. Starting pitcher Jeremy Jansen gave up two runs in the bottom of the...
Rapids lose a tight one with the Rebels
In their second meeting of the season the Rapids led over the Rebels for a majority of the game but fell 4-3.
The Rapids scored one run in the first, fifth, and seventh innings each.
Rockbridge starting pitcher Jeremy Jansen gave up just four hits before the New Market was able to strike back in the bottom of the seventh.
The Rebels were able to score two...
Rapids split doubleheader with Jacks
The Rockbridge Rapids lost the first game of the double header on Wednesday 17-2.
The game opened up looking like it was going to be a tightly contested battle. The Jacks score one in the first frame before the Rapids came back to tie it up in the bottom of the second inning.
The Jacks blew the game open with a seven run third inning. The Rapids were never able to recover. Center fielder Alex...
Furr Rapids' Player of the Week
Outfielder Garrett Furr of Gold Hill, N.C. has named the South Region player of the week in Virginia’s Valley Baseball League.
Furr is ranked first in the league in RBI with 10 and slugging percentage with .793. Furr additionally is ranked second in batting average (.517), hits (15), and on-base percentage (.533).
We were able to catch up with him...
Rapids edge Jacks, 6-5
Rockbridge Rapids’ pitcher Ryan Jones entered a pitcher’s duel against Covington Jacks’ pitcher Dylan Stoops that lasted four innings. The hot hitting Rapids were held to just one hit over the opening four innings. Jones kept the Rapids in the game by keeping the Jacks to just one hit over the same time span.
The game opened up when the Rapids struck first off of a home...
Rapids fall to Turks, 6-5
The Rockbridge Rapids were able to get three runs on eight hits off of Harrisonburg Turk starting pitcher Mike Kraft during the first six innings but it was not enough to bring them to victory.
For just the second time all season the Rapids did not score first. The Turks scored three runs in the second inning. Rapids’ starting pitcher Tyler Broome hit the leadoff batter,...
Rapid's win two in a row at home
Rockbridge Rapids’ starting pitcher Heath Gray pitched six innings of scoreless baseball to earn the team’s fourth win of the season on Friday night against the Staunton Braves.
The Rapids continued to give the offensive support that they have been giving their pitchers all season. They scored three quick runs in the first before scoring again in the second, sixth,...
Rockbridge wins home opener
(The Rapids celebrating their home opener victory against New Market)
The Rockbridge Rapids continued to put huge numbers on the scoreboard Thursday night when they defeated the New Market Rebels.
For the third game in a row the Rapids scored eight or more runs, resulting in an 8-4 victory.
The Rapids struck first with a four run...
Rapid's lose in extras
The Rockbridge Rapids fell to the Waynesboro Generals on Wednesday, 10-9 in 10 innings.
The Rapids took an early 2-0 by scoring one in both the first and second innings. Tracy scored on a single by left fielder Cody Dolan in the first and shortstop Brody Greer scored on a single by second baseman Chandler Smetana single. Smetana had two more RBI on the game on four hits.
Waynesboro closed the...
Rapids' Winning Weekend Away From Home
The Rapids enter their first home game of the season after their unfortunate home opener rainout and 2 wins on the road.
The Rapids were slated to play New Market in their season opener when the day long drizzling turned into a thunderstorm a little bit more than two hours before game time.
(Players laying out the tarp over the field)
The Rapids proved over the next two games that it was not a...
May 2012
2 posts
Meet the Rapids
Tonight was an eventful evening as the Rapids organization held a dinner at Cap’n Dick Smith Field for the Booster Club, the host families and of course, the players. It gave everyone a chance to meet those who they are going to be seeing a lot of this summer. When the event began the sun was out and players were trying out ladder golf, a game that we will be using in the 7th inning...
And so the summer begins
Rockbridge Rapids baseball has finally returned to Lexington after a long winter. Players arrived yesterday, picked up their uniforms and had their first meeting as a team. While some players are still playing for their schools in the playoffs, those who have thus far made the trek to Lexington start practicing today. They are led by new head coach Evan Wise, who coached the Rapids as the...
