dsquires
05-17-2007, 10:47 PM
http://hrvarsity.com/photopost/data/547/medium/PoquosonVSNewKent6.jpg
New Kent pitcher Rebecca Mills celebrates with her teammates. Photo by Rob Ostermaier/Daily Press
Motivated New Kent tops Poquoson
BY NORM WOOD |nwood@dailypress.com (|nwood@dailypress.com)
YORK -- Since March 30, when New Kent lost to Poquoson, New Kent softball coach Betsey Lane has kept one word in her memory bank.
"Overrated."
Lane has had it locked away just for special occasions like Thursday at York High, when New Kent faced Poquoson again. Behind a strong effort from pitcher Becca Mills, New Kent defeated Poquoson 2-1 in a victory that brought important seeding spoils for the Trojans.
Poquoson (15-5) and New Kent tied for first in the final Bay Rivers District standings. The teams had to play an extra game before the district tournament, which begins Saturday at York High, to determine which team would claim the district's No. 1 seed going into the Region I tournament.
By virtue of Thursday's win, New Kent (18-3) earned the No. 1 seed and will host a Region I tournament game for the first time ever. Poquoson is also headed to the region tournament, but will either be the No. 2 or No. 3 seed from the district, depending on how it performs in the district tournament. New Kent will also go into the district tournament as the No. 1 seed, while Poquoson will be the No. 2 seed.
As far as the "overrated" business was concerned, who said it and how much the word was repeated after Poquoson's 2-0 win March 30 against New Kent depends on which person you talk to about the incident. Lane said it came from Poquoson's players. She added it helped spark New Kent's 8-1 win May 5 against Poquoson, as well as Thursday's victory.
"They chanted overrated while we were leaving the field," said Lane, whose team was predicted in the preseason by the Daily Press to finish first in the district, while Poquoson was predicted second. "That really motivated us. On (May 5), my players brought that all back up again. It probably made a difference (Thursday), too."
Poquoson coach Todd Bowden isn't so sure about Lane's accusation regarding his players.
"I didn't hear any of them say it," said Bowden, whose team has lost two straight games for the first time since last May. "Some of our parents, or somebody in the stands might have said it, but I don't know if any of my players said it. Either way, if that motivates (New Kent), then more power to them. Hopefully, we'll see them again (in the district tournament)."
While the postgame comments provided an interesting footnote, Mills (18-3) stole the show. She finished with 13 strikeouts, but got in trouble in the sixth inning.
With New Kent clinging to a 2-1 lead, Poquoson loaded the bases with one out in the sixth after Mills gave up a single and two walks. She bounced back by striking out Brandy Wyatt and Amy Putnam to end the inning. It was the last time Poquoson got a runner past second base.
"I hadn't been in a situation like that, especially this season," said Mills, who also broke a 1-1 tie with a two-out RBI single in the fifth. "All I thought was just throw strikes, and I knew my teammates would back me up on defense."
NEW KENT 2, POQUOSON 1
Poquoson 010 000 0 – 1 7 2
New Kent 000 110 x – 2 6 1
WP – Mills (18-3). LP – Evans (13-3). Standouts – Poquoson, Evans (pitched complete game, gave up two earned runs, struck out one, walked none), Halverson 2-3 (double, one RBI); New Kent, Mills (pitched complete game, gave up one run, struck out 13, walked three). Records – Poquoson 15-5; New Kent 18-3.
New Kent pitcher Rebecca Mills celebrates with her teammates. Photo by Rob Ostermaier/Daily Press
Motivated New Kent tops Poquoson
BY NORM WOOD |nwood@dailypress.com (|nwood@dailypress.com)
YORK -- Since March 30, when New Kent lost to Poquoson, New Kent softball coach Betsey Lane has kept one word in her memory bank.
"Overrated."
Lane has had it locked away just for special occasions like Thursday at York High, when New Kent faced Poquoson again. Behind a strong effort from pitcher Becca Mills, New Kent defeated Poquoson 2-1 in a victory that brought important seeding spoils for the Trojans.
Poquoson (15-5) and New Kent tied for first in the final Bay Rivers District standings. The teams had to play an extra game before the district tournament, which begins Saturday at York High, to determine which team would claim the district's No. 1 seed going into the Region I tournament.
By virtue of Thursday's win, New Kent (18-3) earned the No. 1 seed and will host a Region I tournament game for the first time ever. Poquoson is also headed to the region tournament, but will either be the No. 2 or No. 3 seed from the district, depending on how it performs in the district tournament. New Kent will also go into the district tournament as the No. 1 seed, while Poquoson will be the No. 2 seed.
As far as the "overrated" business was concerned, who said it and how much the word was repeated after Poquoson's 2-0 win March 30 against New Kent depends on which person you talk to about the incident. Lane said it came from Poquoson's players. She added it helped spark New Kent's 8-1 win May 5 against Poquoson, as well as Thursday's victory.
"They chanted overrated while we were leaving the field," said Lane, whose team was predicted in the preseason by the Daily Press to finish first in the district, while Poquoson was predicted second. "That really motivated us. On (May 5), my players brought that all back up again. It probably made a difference (Thursday), too."
Poquoson coach Todd Bowden isn't so sure about Lane's accusation regarding his players.
"I didn't hear any of them say it," said Bowden, whose team has lost two straight games for the first time since last May. "Some of our parents, or somebody in the stands might have said it, but I don't know if any of my players said it. Either way, if that motivates (New Kent), then more power to them. Hopefully, we'll see them again (in the district tournament)."
While the postgame comments provided an interesting footnote, Mills (18-3) stole the show. She finished with 13 strikeouts, but got in trouble in the sixth inning.
With New Kent clinging to a 2-1 lead, Poquoson loaded the bases with one out in the sixth after Mills gave up a single and two walks. She bounced back by striking out Brandy Wyatt and Amy Putnam to end the inning. It was the last time Poquoson got a runner past second base.
"I hadn't been in a situation like that, especially this season," said Mills, who also broke a 1-1 tie with a two-out RBI single in the fifth. "All I thought was just throw strikes, and I knew my teammates would back me up on defense."
NEW KENT 2, POQUOSON 1
Poquoson 010 000 0 – 1 7 2
New Kent 000 110 x – 2 6 1
WP – Mills (18-3). LP – Evans (13-3). Standouts – Poquoson, Evans (pitched complete game, gave up two earned runs, struck out one, walked none), Halverson 2-3 (double, one RBI); New Kent, Mills (pitched complete game, gave up one run, struck out 13, walked three). Records – Poquoson 15-5; New Kent 18-3.