Ben Cates ,Bryson Gordon
Jefferson Forest's pitching staff is on a roll to start the 2025 season.
In a three-day span this week, the Cavaliers threw back-to-back combined no-hitters, and the stable of arms has allowed just one run through the team's first five games.
In an 11-0 win over Gretna on Monday, Mitchell Moore, Caleb Winterfeldt and Charleston Harris combined for the team's first no-no of the season in a five-inning, run-ruled contest. Moore got the start and went two innings, with one walk and three strikeouts. Winterfeldt punched out three batters over the next two innings and didn't allow a walk. Harris threw the 1-2-3 fifth and fanned one.
Then, in a 19-0 win over Heritage on Thursday, freshman Isaac Elder and junior Will Vaughn combined for the second straight no-hitter. Elder got the start and struck out three while walking none. Vaughn pitched the final three frames, walking two and striking out three.
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It was the fifth straight solid outing for JF pitchers. Moore, Winterfeldt and Gabriel Eden held Mecklenburg County to one hit in the Cavaliers' season opener. Two nights later, Justin Godsey, Jacob Eckart and Harris held the Phoenix to two hits. And on March 21, in JF's first of two games against Gretna, Jackson Mistretta, Brayden Gregory and Landon Mitchell allowed one hit and one earned run in a 15-1 victory.
In five games, JF pitching has allowed just four hits. The Cavs travel to county rival Staunton River for a 2 p.m. game Saturday. The Golden Eagles are off to a 4-1 start.
LCA"s Walker throws no-hitter
In the closing game of the Ronnie Roberts Classic at Bank of the James Stadium late Friday night, Liberty Christian pitcher Ayden Walker handcuffed Amherst, throwing a no-hitter and striking out 12 in a 14-0, six-inning win.
Walker threw 49 of his 73 pitches for strikes. The game featured 26 total strikeouts.
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Two area standouts named all-state
Liberty Christian's Jisaiah Bryant and Staunton River's Ailynn Macauley both earned all-state honors when the Virginia High School League released its Class 3 boys and girls teams this week.
Bryant, a junior guard, averaged 15.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game for the Bulldogs, helping the team to a 20-6 record and a spot in the Region 3C semifinals. Bryant received a second-team all-state nod after earning a first-team all-Region 3C and all-Seminole District honors.
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LCA’s Jisaiah Bryant dunks against Heritage last season. Bryant is averaging 14.2 points per game this season for the Bulldogs. Paige Dingler, The News & Advance
Macauley, a sophomore point guard, was in double digits time and time again for the Golden Eagles, who amassed a 22-5 record. She led Staunton River into the Class 3 state tournament and was an all-Region 3D first-team member.
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Staunton River’s Ailynn Macauley drives past a Liberty High defender during a January game. Macauley led the Golden Eagles with 23 points in Saturday’s Region 3D championship loss to Lord Botetourt. Paige Dingler, The News & Advance
COLLEGE SOFTBALL
No. 20 Liberty 10, UTEP 2
At Liberty Softball Stadium, the Lady Flames scored five runs in the first inning of Friday's series opener against UTEP, and outfielder Rachel Roupe hit her 14th home run of the season as No. 20 Liberty downed UTEP in a run-ruled, five-inning game.
Center fielder KK Madrey added three more hits and four RBI for the Lady Flames (29-6, 9-0). Her one-out triple in the first plated two runs and helped open up an early lead off UTEP's Taja Felder.
Madrey also drew a bases-loaded walk in the fourth that made the score 9-2, and drove in another run during the fifth inning that ended the game via run-rule.
Liberty starter Elena Escobar (13-2) twirled a complete game and surrendered her only two runs during the top of the fourth. She struck out seven Miners and walked four while allowing five hits.
First baseman Brooke Roberts added three hits, two runs and two RBI for the Lady Flames. Roupe, a three-time defending CUSA player of the week, homered to left-center in the fourth.
Game two of the series between UTEP (12-17, 2-8) and Liberty is at 3 p.m. Saturday.
MEN'S COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Porter, Metheny to return at LU
Liberty guards Colin Porter and Kaden Metheny will return to Lynchburg for the 2025-26 season, and will be joined by starting forward Zach Cleveland, the team announced Thursday.
All three will spend the final seasons of their college eligibility with the Flames after making a run to the 2025 NCAA Tournament and the program's first-ever Conference USA championship.
Metheny participated in Senior Day festivities, but had one year of college ball left to play due to a medical redshirt he got during his sophomore season at Bowling Green. It marks his sixth season of college hoops, half with the Flames and half with the Falcons.
Last season Metheny was second on the team in scoring with 13.3 points per game, and made five second-half 3-pointers to help the Flames past Kennesaw State in the CUSA semifinals. He connected on a team-high 102 3-pointers this season.
Porter averaged 9.1 points and 4.3 assists, shooting 43% from 3-pointer while leading CUSA in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.92).
Cleveland averaged 11 points and six rebounds per game, and at 6-foot-7 posted a team-high five assists per game.
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