Two storied programs who have much respect for each other on and off the field met on opening day of 2015 and the Commandos came away with two wins 2-1 and 6-5. 

HENDERSONVILLE – The Hendersonville High School baseball team opened its season by sweeping a doubleheader from visiting Riverdale in dramatic fashion, claiming a pair of walk-off victories on Monday at Municipal Park.

The host squad captured a 2-1 win in the opener.

Commando senior Jarques Wordlaw doubled with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, moved to third base thanks to a wild pitch and scored when classmate Braden Schwerdt laid down a bunt single.

Warrior leadoff hitter Drew Huff singled in the top of the sixth, moved to second base on a wild pitch and scored on Haddon Adams' two-out single.

Hendersonville junior Grant Williams drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the seventh, and junior pinch runner Aris Welden moved to second base when senior Austin Brown grounded out. After Wordlaw drew a walk, junior Cooper Brenning singled to leftfield, and Welden scored when the line-drive hit was mishandled in the outfield.

The Commandos produced just five hits in the opener.

Hendersonville junior right-hander Will Wacaser didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning, retiring the first eight hitters he faced and 14 of the first 15. In six innings of work, Wacaser issued two base on balls and struck out two hitters.

Junior Ian MacMaster tossed a scoreless seventh inning to earn the win, allowing one baserunner via a walk. However, Brenning threw out that baserunner as he attempted to steal second base.

The Commandos rallied for five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning in the nightcap, resulting in a 6-5 victory.

Seniors Drew Richard and Connor Fischer drew back-to-back walks with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, and classmate Ben Smith followed with a double to drive in both baserunners.

Williams and Brown drew walks to load the bases, and junior pinch runner Jon Swindle scored on a wild pitch to pull his squad to within a run.

Wordlaw followed with the game-winning double to right-centerfield that drove in Welden (who was pinch-running for Williams) and Brown.

Fischer doubled in the first inning and scored on Smith's double.

However, the Warriors responded by producing a run in the top of the second and added two runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to build the 5-1 lead.

Riverdale – which has made three consecutive state-tournament appearances, finishing as the Class AAA state runner-up last season – outhit Hendersonville, 9-7, in game two. Both Smith and Wordlaw had two hits.

The Commandos used four pitchers in the second game – Williams, sophomore Matt Nicoll, sophomore Andrew Dorris and senior Alec Nelson. Nelson was credited with the win, recording the final two outs in the top of the seventh inning.