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SWOOPE — With just two hits and a run through the first two innings, it was a slower start than Buffalo Gap would have liked in its Region 1B softball opener, but the Bison broke things open in the third inning with eight runs on the way to a 12-0, five-inning win over Cumberland May 29.
Buffalo Gap (18-3), the region's top seed, will host No. 5 Luray, a winner over No. 4 Surry 17-0. For Luray (8-10) the win broke a four-game losing streak in the tough Bull Run District. The semifinal game will be June 2.
Buffalo Gap coach Holly Desper would like to see faster starts when it comes to offense.
"We've just got to come out of the gate stronger," Desper said. "We didn't have any action until the third inning. We've got to figure that part out about us still. That's been the story of the season, late in the game we want to come alive."
But, better late than never.
With one out in the third, Paige Showalter and Rachel Showalter each had singles, the hits sandwiching a walk by Elissa Caricofe to load the bases. A two-out walk by Charleigh Phillips brought home a run before Taylor Mealy singled home two more runs.
Avery Wheeler than walked, bringing Bailey Tribble to the plate. The sophomore ripped a double just past the shortstop, then reached third on a throwing error. Tribble then got up and sprinted for home as the ball got away from the third baseman. The at-bat pushed Gap's lead to 8-0.
Gap added one more run in the inning and three more in the fourth to run-rule No. 8 Cumberland.
Tribble led the offensive attack for Gap against Cumberland, going 3-for-4 with five RBIs and two runs. Rachel Showalter pitched all five innings, giving up just two hits and striking out eight for the win.
After days of rain and a messy field, the game was moved from Thursday to Friday. Desper said they practiced inside with a batting cage, then got outside to the batting cage, but it wasn't like facing live pitching. She said the slow offensive start was probably more a factor of that than anything else and it took her players a few innings to find their groove.
"You make the best use of the space that you have," Desper said. "You just work on a lot of different hitting drills. We did pitching stuff, but hitting balls in the gym isn't the same as taking the field outside."
More: Community benefits with boost from Wilson Elementary running club
Tenleigh Long had a pair of hits and two RBIs in Riverheads 7-1 win over Altavista May 29 in the quarterfinals of the Region 1B softball playoffs.
The No. 3 seeded Gladiators (11-10) will now travel to No. 2 William Campbell for a June 2 regional semifinal game. William Campbell beat Rappahannock County 18-2 to advance.
Long singled home a run, then stole home, part of a three-run second inning for Riverheads. Long had another RBI single in the third to stretch Riverheads' lead to 6-0.
Freshman Emmy Fitzgerald got the win, pitching all seven innings and giving up just the one unearned run while scattering 10 hits. She struck out four.
Riverheads has now won three games in a row and five out of its last seven as it head into the semifinals. A win against Altavista would earn Riverheads a berth in the state playoffs and, perhaps, another meeting with rival Buffalo Gap for the regional championship.
More: Fort Defiance boys soccer, Draft girls soccer win regional openers
Wilson Memorial's baseball season came to an end May 29 in the quarterfinals of the Region 3C playoffs. The second-seeded Hornets fell to No. 7 Fluvanna 3-0.
Christian Brewer threw a strong seven innings for Wilson, giving up just five hits and three unearned runs and striking out nine. Wilson committed four errors in the loss and the offense didn't give Brewer much support. Fluvanna sophomore Jake McCall limited Wilson to just four hits while striking out seven in the complete-game win.
It was the final game for Wilson seniors Addy Flesher, Bradley Young, Jacob McWhorter and Brewer.
Wilson Memorial (16-5) was 15-2 through the middle of May, but finished the season dropping three of its last four games.
More: Jax State baseball cruises to NCAA Tournament win over Virginia: Recap, highlights
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, Riverheads softball win regional playoff openers
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Buffalo Gap (18-3), the region's top seed, will host No. 5 Luray, a winner over No. 4 Surry 17-0. For Luray (8-10) the win broke a four-game losing streak in the tough Bull Run District. The semifinal game will be June 2.
Buffalo Gap coach Holly Desper would like to see faster starts when it comes to offense.
"We've just got to come out of the gate stronger," Desper said. "We didn't have any action until the third inning. We've got to figure that part out about us still. That's been the story of the season, late in the game we want to come alive."
But, better late than never.
With one out in the third, Paige Showalter and Rachel Showalter each had singles, the hits sandwiching a walk by Elissa Caricofe to load the bases. A two-out walk by Charleigh Phillips brought home a run before Taylor Mealy singled home two more runs.
Avery Wheeler than walked, bringing Bailey Tribble to the plate. The sophomore ripped a double just past the shortstop, then reached third on a throwing error. Tribble then got up and sprinted for home as the ball got away from the third baseman. The at-bat pushed Gap's lead to 8-0.
Gap added one more run in the inning and three more in the fourth to run-rule No. 8 Cumberland.
Tribble led the offensive attack for Gap against Cumberland, going 3-for-4 with five RBIs and two runs. Rachel Showalter pitched all five innings, giving up just two hits and striking out eight for the win.
After days of rain and a messy field, the game was moved from Thursday to Friday. Desper said they practiced inside with a batting cage, then got outside to the batting cage, but it wasn't like facing live pitching. She said the slow offensive start was probably more a factor of that than anything else and it took her players a few innings to find their groove.
"You make the best use of the space that you have," Desper said. "You just work on a lot of different hitting drills. We did pitching stuff, but hitting balls in the gym isn't the same as taking the field outside."
More: Community benefits with boost from Wilson Elementary running club
Riverheads softball wins
Tenleigh Long had a pair of hits and two RBIs in Riverheads 7-1 win over Altavista May 29 in the quarterfinals of the Region 1B softball playoffs.
The No. 3 seeded Gladiators (11-10) will now travel to No. 2 William Campbell for a June 2 regional semifinal game. William Campbell beat Rappahannock County 18-2 to advance.
Long singled home a run, then stole home, part of a three-run second inning for Riverheads. Long had another RBI single in the third to stretch Riverheads' lead to 6-0.
Freshman Emmy Fitzgerald got the win, pitching all seven innings and giving up just the one unearned run while scattering 10 hits. She struck out four.
Riverheads has now won three games in a row and five out of its last seven as it head into the semifinals. A win against Altavista would earn Riverheads a berth in the state playoffs and, perhaps, another meeting with rival Buffalo Gap for the regional championship.
More: Fort Defiance boys soccer, Draft girls soccer win regional openers
Wilson Memorial baseball falls
Wilson Memorial's baseball season came to an end May 29 in the quarterfinals of the Region 3C playoffs. The second-seeded Hornets fell to No. 7 Fluvanna 3-0.
Christian Brewer threw a strong seven innings for Wilson, giving up just five hits and three unearned runs and striking out nine. Wilson committed four errors in the loss and the offense didn't give Brewer much support. Fluvanna sophomore Jake McCall limited Wilson to just four hits while striking out seven in the complete-game win.
It was the final game for Wilson seniors Addy Flesher, Bradley Young, Jacob McWhorter and Brewer.
Wilson Memorial (16-5) was 15-2 through the middle of May, but finished the season dropping three of its last four games.
More: Jax State baseball cruises to NCAA Tournament win over Virginia: Recap, highlights
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, Riverheads softball win regional playoff openers
Continue reading...
