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SALEM — Former Buffalo Gap athletic director Andrew Grove sent softball coach Holly Desper a text Friday morning. It said "You've knocked on the door five years now. How about we just knock the door down."
Desper shared the text with her players before they left school Friday for the Virginia High School League Class 1 state softball semifinal game. It was the sixth straight year Gap had played in the semifinals, but the previous five it had lost.
"The girls, they liked that a lot," Desper said. "That stuck with them and they knocked it down."
Buffalo Gap rallied to upset defending Class 1 state champion Eastside 4-2. The Bison will play for a state championship Saturday, June 13 at 11 a.m. back at Moyer Sports Complex in Salem.
Gap will play William Campbell, which stunned Auburn 4-1 in the first semifinal game in Salem Friday, in the championship game. Gap beat William Campbell for the Region 1B title June 4. Like against Eastside, Gap had to rally from two runs down in that game to eventually win 8-6.
Gap scored five runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth against William Campbell. Coming alive midway through the game has become a bit of a trend for the Bison, who scored six runs in the fourth in the state quarterfinal game against Lancaster to win 7-1.
Against Eastside, Gap was down two runs heading to the bottom of the fourth. Paige Showalter got on with a two-out walk before Elissa Caricofe doubled to right to score Showalter.
"I was more focused on just getting a base hit," said Caricofe, who had taken a foul ball deep to left before getting the double to right. "I know I have power, but Emma Sartin is just an insane pitcher. I know with her power coming toward me, I just needed to put the bat on the ball and the ball would just carry."
Sartin, who is headed to the University of North Carolina Greensboro to play in college, was coming off a perfect game in the state quarterfinals. Showalter's walk ended her bid for another perfect game and Caricofe's hit ended the bid for a no-hitter and shutout.
More: Norfolk & Western 611 steam engine comes out of retirement for 250th
But, Sartin could still get the win, up 2-1 heading to the fifth. That got ruined by the Bison hitters in the bottom of the fifth.
With two on and one out, Bailey Tribble reached on an error, allowing Makenzie Wooddell to score the tying run.
A batter later, Faith Showalter ripped a double to score two runs and put Buffalo Gap in front 4-2.
"We had runners on and I was up to bat," Showalter said. "I was like, 'I've got to get a hit.' I had two strikes. My pitch, I'm swinging."
Caricofe and Showalter had the only two hits in the game for Buffalo Gap, but those proved to be enough.
Tribble pitched the first four innings for Gap before Rachel Showalter entered. Showalter didn't give up a hit in her three innings of relief.
Desper said she was impressed by her team's composure late in the the game, even when they were trailing.
"They were able to adjust," she said. "They knew what they were doing. They were determined. They weren't going to settle for losing this game again."
More: Virginia expands drought warning to 94 counties, wildfire risk grows
Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips are always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) at [email protected] and on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Buffalo Gap stuns Eastside in state softball semifinals
Continue reading...
Desper shared the text with her players before they left school Friday for the Virginia High School League Class 1 state softball semifinal game. It was the sixth straight year Gap had played in the semifinals, but the previous five it had lost.
"The girls, they liked that a lot," Desper said. "That stuck with them and they knocked it down."
Buffalo Gap rallied to upset defending Class 1 state champion Eastside 4-2. The Bison will play for a state championship Saturday, June 13 at 11 a.m. back at Moyer Sports Complex in Salem.
Gap will play William Campbell, which stunned Auburn 4-1 in the first semifinal game in Salem Friday, in the championship game. Gap beat William Campbell for the Region 1B title June 4. Like against Eastside, Gap had to rally from two runs down in that game to eventually win 8-6.
Gap scored five runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth against William Campbell. Coming alive midway through the game has become a bit of a trend for the Bison, who scored six runs in the fourth in the state quarterfinal game against Lancaster to win 7-1.
Against Eastside, Gap was down two runs heading to the bottom of the fourth. Paige Showalter got on with a two-out walk before Elissa Caricofe doubled to right to score Showalter.
"I was more focused on just getting a base hit," said Caricofe, who had taken a foul ball deep to left before getting the double to right. "I know I have power, but Emma Sartin is just an insane pitcher. I know with her power coming toward me, I just needed to put the bat on the ball and the ball would just carry."
Sartin, who is headed to the University of North Carolina Greensboro to play in college, was coming off a perfect game in the state quarterfinals. Showalter's walk ended her bid for another perfect game and Caricofe's hit ended the bid for a no-hitter and shutout.
More: Norfolk & Western 611 steam engine comes out of retirement for 250th
But, Sartin could still get the win, up 2-1 heading to the fifth. That got ruined by the Bison hitters in the bottom of the fifth.
With two on and one out, Bailey Tribble reached on an error, allowing Makenzie Wooddell to score the tying run.
A batter later, Faith Showalter ripped a double to score two runs and put Buffalo Gap in front 4-2.
"We had runners on and I was up to bat," Showalter said. "I was like, 'I've got to get a hit.' I had two strikes. My pitch, I'm swinging."
Caricofe and Showalter had the only two hits in the game for Buffalo Gap, but those proved to be enough.
Tribble pitched the first four innings for Gap before Rachel Showalter entered. Showalter didn't give up a hit in her three innings of relief.
Desper said she was impressed by her team's composure late in the the game, even when they were trailing.
"They were able to adjust," she said. "They knew what they were doing. They were determined. They weren't going to settle for losing this game again."
More: Virginia expands drought warning to 94 counties, wildfire risk grows
Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips are always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) at [email protected] and on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us at newsleader.com.
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Buffalo Gap stuns Eastside in state softball semifinals
Continue reading...
