dsquires
05-17-2007, 10:28 PM
Gloucester takes PD softball title
BY DAVE JOHNSON |djohnson@dailypress.com
NEWPORT NEWS -- Stephanie Coates kept right on working. Right through the introduction of the all-district team, which she again headlined, and right through the starting lineups.
Finally, with Gloucester's defense on the field and Warwick's Travonna Byrd waiting in the on-deck circle, Coates sprinted to the mound.
And from there, she was in complete control.
Coates gave up one hit -- and allowed one baserunner, in fact -- through the first six innings and led the Dukes to their third straight Peninsula District tournament championship with a 7-2 win Thursday night at Stony Run Park.
Coates struck out 14 and walked none, and she had more than enough wiggle room to get through the Raiders' two-run seventh inning.
"She was just great today," Gloucester coach Red Lindsay said. "I give her all the credit in the world." So what was up with the extended warm-up session?
"Just staying loose," Coates said. "In a game like today, you want to be sure to stay loose." Loose she was.
Warwick (16-5), the district's best hitting team this side of the York River, sent 19 batters to the plate through the first six innings. Eleven struck out, four popped up, two grounded out and one hit a fly ball to the outfield. The only hit came from Tiera Gostomski, who sent a one-out single up the middle in the fifth.
By the time the Raiders broke through in the seventh -- Gostomski's two-run double followed singles by Alex Ward and Va King -- Gloucester (20-2) led 7-0.
"We had a hard time hitting the ball," Warwick coach Jimmy Dawson said. "Coates was striking us out, and they have a good defense. But I'm proud of my team. We took the goose egg off the board in the seventh."
The Dukes are 3-0 this season against Warwick -- and by a combined score of 28-6.
"They've had our number this year," Dawson said.
It was all but over from the moment Gloucester hung four runs in the first inning. The key hit was a two-run single by third baseman Ashley Moore that made it 4-0.
"Scoring early puts a lot of pressure on them," Moore said. "Especially when Steph is pitching like that."
Both teams had already clinched berths in the Eastern Region playoffs, which begin Memorial Day in Virginia Beach. Gloucester will play the Eastern District runner-up, probably Lake Taylor or Granby. Warwick will go against Eastern champion Churchland.
GLOUCESTER 7, WARWICK 2
Warwick 000 000 2 -- 2 4 1
Gloucester 400 030 x -- 7 9 0
WP--Coates (20-2). LP--Byrd (9-2). Standouts: Warwick--Gostomski 2-3 (2 RBI); Gloucester--Kiser 2-3 (run), Stevens 2-3 (RBI), Moore 1-2 (2 RBI), Coates (14 strikeouts). Records: Warwick 16-5; Gloucester 20-2.
BY DAVE JOHNSON |djohnson@dailypress.com
NEWPORT NEWS -- Stephanie Coates kept right on working. Right through the introduction of the all-district team, which she again headlined, and right through the starting lineups.
Finally, with Gloucester's defense on the field and Warwick's Travonna Byrd waiting in the on-deck circle, Coates sprinted to the mound.
And from there, she was in complete control.
Coates gave up one hit -- and allowed one baserunner, in fact -- through the first six innings and led the Dukes to their third straight Peninsula District tournament championship with a 7-2 win Thursday night at Stony Run Park.
Coates struck out 14 and walked none, and she had more than enough wiggle room to get through the Raiders' two-run seventh inning.
"She was just great today," Gloucester coach Red Lindsay said. "I give her all the credit in the world." So what was up with the extended warm-up session?
"Just staying loose," Coates said. "In a game like today, you want to be sure to stay loose." Loose she was.
Warwick (16-5), the district's best hitting team this side of the York River, sent 19 batters to the plate through the first six innings. Eleven struck out, four popped up, two grounded out and one hit a fly ball to the outfield. The only hit came from Tiera Gostomski, who sent a one-out single up the middle in the fifth.
By the time the Raiders broke through in the seventh -- Gostomski's two-run double followed singles by Alex Ward and Va King -- Gloucester (20-2) led 7-0.
"We had a hard time hitting the ball," Warwick coach Jimmy Dawson said. "Coates was striking us out, and they have a good defense. But I'm proud of my team. We took the goose egg off the board in the seventh."
The Dukes are 3-0 this season against Warwick -- and by a combined score of 28-6.
"They've had our number this year," Dawson said.
It was all but over from the moment Gloucester hung four runs in the first inning. The key hit was a two-run single by third baseman Ashley Moore that made it 4-0.
"Scoring early puts a lot of pressure on them," Moore said. "Especially when Steph is pitching like that."
Both teams had already clinched berths in the Eastern Region playoffs, which begin Memorial Day in Virginia Beach. Gloucester will play the Eastern District runner-up, probably Lake Taylor or Granby. Warwick will go against Eastern champion Churchland.
GLOUCESTER 7, WARWICK 2
Warwick 000 000 2 -- 2 4 1
Gloucester 400 030 x -- 7 9 0
WP--Coates (20-2). LP--Byrd (9-2). Standouts: Warwick--Gostomski 2-3 (2 RBI); Gloucester--Kiser 2-3 (run), Stevens 2-3 (RBI), Moore 1-2 (2 RBI), Coates (14 strikeouts). Records: Warwick 16-5; Gloucester 20-2.