The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) – The Alleghany Cougars battled hard to the very end, but despite a late-game rally, they ultimately fell to the Northside Vikings 5-2 on Tuesday afternoon. With seven hits compared to Northside’s five, the Cougars showed resilience and determination but couldn’t quite get over the hump as they were edged out by the Vikings.
Rilee Webb was the standout for Alleghany, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one RBI. The Cougars’ catcher helped spark the offense with a key single that tied the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Webb’s consistent hitting kept Alleghany in the hunt throughout the contest.
Northside was the first to strike, with Camden Spangler grounding out in the top of the first inning to bring in the game’s opening run. But the Cougars answered back in the bottom of the fourth. Webb’s single, followed by a wild pitch, allowed Alleghany to level the score at 1-1, breathing new life into the team.
However, Northside regained the lead in the top of the fifth. Spangler connected for a clutch single that scored two more runs, putting the Vikings up 3-2. Alleghany, though, never stopped fighting.
In the late innings, the Cougars mounted a strong offensive push. They managed to load the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but Northside’s defense and pitching tightened up, ultimately keeping the Cougars from scoring the equalizer. Even though Alleghany showed their grit, Northside responded with insurance runs in the top of the seventh to secure the win.
Spangler was the winning pitcher for Northside, giving up seven hits and two runs (zero earned) over six innings. He struck out six and walked just one, showing poise in a game where the Cougars threatened multiple times. Trey Cook took the loss for Alleghany after a solid five-inning outing, allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits, with four strikeouts and four walks.
Spangler was also a key contributor at the plate, driving in two of Northside’s five runs with a 1-for-3 performance. Justin Tucker had a strong game, collecting two hits and leading the Vikings with multiple stolen bases. As a team, Northside was aggressive on the base paths, swiping seven bases throughout the game.
