Norm Wood
05-30-2007, 11:12 PM
New Kent advances to states with 1-0 win
By Norm Wood | nwood@dailypress.com
POWHATAN - After a celebratory water cooler dousing, New Kent coach Betsey Lane gathered her players in right field on Powhatan's softball field. She flipped a yellow softball to catcher Laura Bauer.
If New Kent keeps winning, the softball will get a lot of attention. Lane plans on winning four more games.
"When we win states, we'll sign it," Lane said. "Then, it goes in the trophy case, baby."
The ball already holds special significance for Bauer. She hit it Wednesday for an RBI single in the sixth inning to lead New Kent to a 1-0 victory against Powhatan in the semifinals of the Region I tournament. With the win, New Kent locked up a spot in the Group AA state tournament, as did Poquoson on Wednesday with a 1-0 region semifinal victory at Nottoway.
Before the state quarterfinals Tuesday, New Kent will host Poquoson (18-6) on Friday at 4:30 p.m. in the region championship game. It will be the fifth meeting of the teams this season. New Kent has won three of the first four games. The winner of Friday's game will get to host a state quarterfinal game, while the loser will have to go on the road.
New Kent's last appearance in the state tournament came in 2003, when it lost in the quarterfinals. Poquoson's most recent trip to the state tournament was in 2005, ending in the semifinals.
New Kent (21-3) and Powhatan struggled to generate much offense as pitchers Becca Mills and Sarah Davis took center stage. Mills gave up three hits to Powhatan, while Davis countered by surrendering just three hits to New Kent.
"It was a good game," Powhatan coach Marie Crump said. "It was just that New Kent got that key hit, and that's what won it. Even when we got runners on base we couldn't get (that hit)."
With the teams in a scoreless tie heading into the sixth inning, Tyler Fleming managed to give New Kent some life by leading off the inning with a bunt single. Mills laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Fleming to second before Anush Mooradian went down swinging for the second out.
Bauer wasted little time zeroing in on Davis, who had 13 strikeouts. Bauer ripped a 1-0 pitch from Davis through the middle of the infield, which was enough to bring the speedy Fleming home with the game's only run.
"I wasn't chasing bad pitches," said Bauer after the game, clutching the ball she hit in her left hand. "I just waited for a pitch so I could drive it."
Powhatan (20-3), which lost in the state championship game last season, threatened in the first and seventh innings. Mills left two runners on base in the first, and gave up a two-out single to Shannon Summers in the seventh before getting Davis to groundout to end the game.
"It was just nice to get out of the (first) inning," Mills said. "I knew I didn't have my best stuff today, so it was good to know I could depend on my defense. They were really good today."
NEW KENT 1, POWHATAN 0
New Kent 000 001 0 – 1 3 2
Powhatan 000 000 0 – 0 3 1
WP – Mills (21-3). LP – Davis. Standouts – New Kent, Mills (pitched complete game, gave up three hits, struck out two, walked none); Powhatan, Davis (pitched complete game, gave up three hits, struck out 13, walked none). Records – New Kent 21-3, Powhatan 20-3.
By Norm Wood | nwood@dailypress.com
POWHATAN - After a celebratory water cooler dousing, New Kent coach Betsey Lane gathered her players in right field on Powhatan's softball field. She flipped a yellow softball to catcher Laura Bauer.
If New Kent keeps winning, the softball will get a lot of attention. Lane plans on winning four more games.
"When we win states, we'll sign it," Lane said. "Then, it goes in the trophy case, baby."
The ball already holds special significance for Bauer. She hit it Wednesday for an RBI single in the sixth inning to lead New Kent to a 1-0 victory against Powhatan in the semifinals of the Region I tournament. With the win, New Kent locked up a spot in the Group AA state tournament, as did Poquoson on Wednesday with a 1-0 region semifinal victory at Nottoway.
Before the state quarterfinals Tuesday, New Kent will host Poquoson (18-6) on Friday at 4:30 p.m. in the region championship game. It will be the fifth meeting of the teams this season. New Kent has won three of the first four games. The winner of Friday's game will get to host a state quarterfinal game, while the loser will have to go on the road.
New Kent's last appearance in the state tournament came in 2003, when it lost in the quarterfinals. Poquoson's most recent trip to the state tournament was in 2005, ending in the semifinals.
New Kent (21-3) and Powhatan struggled to generate much offense as pitchers Becca Mills and Sarah Davis took center stage. Mills gave up three hits to Powhatan, while Davis countered by surrendering just three hits to New Kent.
"It was a good game," Powhatan coach Marie Crump said. "It was just that New Kent got that key hit, and that's what won it. Even when we got runners on base we couldn't get (that hit)."
With the teams in a scoreless tie heading into the sixth inning, Tyler Fleming managed to give New Kent some life by leading off the inning with a bunt single. Mills laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Fleming to second before Anush Mooradian went down swinging for the second out.
Bauer wasted little time zeroing in on Davis, who had 13 strikeouts. Bauer ripped a 1-0 pitch from Davis through the middle of the infield, which was enough to bring the speedy Fleming home with the game's only run.
"I wasn't chasing bad pitches," said Bauer after the game, clutching the ball she hit in her left hand. "I just waited for a pitch so I could drive it."
Powhatan (20-3), which lost in the state championship game last season, threatened in the first and seventh innings. Mills left two runners on base in the first, and gave up a two-out single to Shannon Summers in the seventh before getting Davis to groundout to end the game.
"It was just nice to get out of the (first) inning," Mills said. "I knew I didn't have my best stuff today, so it was good to know I could depend on my defense. They were really good today."
NEW KENT 1, POWHATAN 0
New Kent 000 001 0 – 1 3 2
Powhatan 000 000 0 – 0 3 1
WP – Mills (21-3). LP – Davis. Standouts – New Kent, Mills (pitched complete game, gave up three hits, struck out two, walked none); Powhatan, Davis (pitched complete game, gave up three hits, struck out 13, walked none). Records – New Kent 21-3, Powhatan 20-3.