COURTLAND
The Southampton Academy Raiders baseball team may have won its first-round Virginia Independent School Athletic Association Tournament matchup with Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot handily, but the overall mood surrounding the game was less than joyful thanks to an injury that occurred in the bottom of the first inning.

With a runner on first and second base, Southampton Academy’s Brynner Porter launched what looked to be an RBI double to the gap to give the Raiders the first run of the contest. However, right fielder Mason Livers and center fielder Stuart Howard gave chase, and Howard made a spectacular diving catch. Livers, meanwhile, was grimacing in pain as he grabbed his right leg.

Coaches and trainers from both teams rushed to the junior speedster, who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee just one season ago. Ambulances arrived shortly thereafter to take Livers to the hospital.

More than a half hour passed between the play and next pitch, but the Southampton Academy bats continued to tee off on Blessed Sacrament pitcher Coleman Smith. Already up 1-0 after Andrew Lowe tagged from second base on the aforementioned play, right fielder Ethan Edwards hit a single to score another. Left fielder Nate Williams followed a walk with an RBI double, and first baseman Brooks Holland added a two-run single to push the lead to five.

Having given up two hits in the top of the first, Southampton Academy’s Porter was happy to return to the mound with the lead. He struck out two batters in the frame and did not allow a hit. Smith would also quiet the opponent’s bats in the home side of the inning to keep the deficit at five.

Porter was lights out in the top of third, adding another pair of strikeouts.

After Holland led off the bottom of the frame with a bloop single, Smith tried to throw behind him at first; the runner’s jump allowed him to beat the subsequent throw, though, and slide in to second safely. Porter helped his own cause, driving Holland in with a single.

When lightning was spotted in the fourth, the game was delayed for nearly an hour. The teams added two runs each after play resumed to reach the final 8-2 score.

The Raiders advance to the second round of the VISAA Tournament to play Isle of Wight Academy, who they’ve beaten twice this season by a combined score of 19-7. The semifinal will be on Thursday in Colonial Heights. First pitch at Shepherd Stadium is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.