jeffpatterson
04-02-2008, 08:45 PM
Woodside surprises with shutout
With a 3-0 win over Kecoughtan, Woodside is the Peninsula District’s lone undefeated team.
By DAVE JOHNSON | djohnson@dailypress.com | 247-4649
NEWPORT NEWS — Five games into the Peninsula District’s softball season, only one team remains undefeated. And it’s neither of the two you’re probably thinking.
Woodside, a team most consider to be a year away, took sole possession of first place in the standings with a 3-0 win over Kecoughtan on Wednesday afternoon. Gabbie Andino threw her fifth straight shutout and drove in the Wolverines’ second run by crushing a ball that nearly cleared the fence.
“It feels good to be where we are,” Andino said. “We don’t pay attention to what people say about us. We just go out and play our game.”
That was good enough against the Warriors (2-3), whose previous two losses were to Gloucester and Warwick — each by a run. Woodside (5-0) got two hits apiece from right fielder Candice Kelly, who also drove in a pair of runs, and center fielder Matrica Hale.
And on the mound, Andino was nearly untouchable. The sophomore left-hander gave up two harmless singles and never let a runner past second base. And whenever Kecoughtan did seem to have something going, she shut it down.
“In the fifth inning, she started thinking about winning instead of just pitching,” Woodside coach Mike Tallon said. “That’s why I kept yelling out to her, ‘It’s a long game.’ And to her credit, she calmed herself down and got herself out of situations.”
The Wolverines began the day tied with Warwick, which had upset defending champion Gloucester on Friday. But the Raiders were defeated 7-6 Wednesday afternoon by Menchville.
Woodside took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Kelly lined a shot back to the mound that pitcher Katie Alexander couldn’t handle, allowing Hale to score from third. The Wolverines then put it away with a two-run sixth, which began with Hale’s single to left.
Andino then came to the plate, and conventional wisdom normally calls for a bunt to move the runner over.
Tallon told Andino to swing away, and she lined Alexander’s first pitch off the fence in right-center field. Hale scored without a throw, and Andino later came home on Kelly’s bunt single.
“Because we’re so young and it’s early, I want them to get in a habit of being aggressive,” Tallon said of giving Andino the green light.
“That’s all that is.”
Aside from Andino’s pitching and the timely hitting, Tallon also credited his team’s defense. Shortstop Kristie Hoeffer made two excellent plays, including a snag of Casey Robinson’s line drive to end the game.
WOODSIDE 3, KECOUGHTAN 0
Kecoughtan;000;000;0 – 0 2 2
Woodside;000;102;x – 3 8 0
WP—Andino (5-0) LP—Alexander (2-3). Standouts: Kecoughtan—Pulley 2-3. Woodside—Hale 2-3 (2 runs), Kelly 2-2 (2 RBI), Andino (11 strikeouts). Records: Kecoughtan 2-3; Woodside 5-0.
With a 3-0 win over Kecoughtan, Woodside is the Peninsula District’s lone undefeated team.
By DAVE JOHNSON | djohnson@dailypress.com | 247-4649
NEWPORT NEWS — Five games into the Peninsula District’s softball season, only one team remains undefeated. And it’s neither of the two you’re probably thinking.
Woodside, a team most consider to be a year away, took sole possession of first place in the standings with a 3-0 win over Kecoughtan on Wednesday afternoon. Gabbie Andino threw her fifth straight shutout and drove in the Wolverines’ second run by crushing a ball that nearly cleared the fence.
“It feels good to be where we are,” Andino said. “We don’t pay attention to what people say about us. We just go out and play our game.”
That was good enough against the Warriors (2-3), whose previous two losses were to Gloucester and Warwick — each by a run. Woodside (5-0) got two hits apiece from right fielder Candice Kelly, who also drove in a pair of runs, and center fielder Matrica Hale.
And on the mound, Andino was nearly untouchable. The sophomore left-hander gave up two harmless singles and never let a runner past second base. And whenever Kecoughtan did seem to have something going, she shut it down.
“In the fifth inning, she started thinking about winning instead of just pitching,” Woodside coach Mike Tallon said. “That’s why I kept yelling out to her, ‘It’s a long game.’ And to her credit, she calmed herself down and got herself out of situations.”
The Wolverines began the day tied with Warwick, which had upset defending champion Gloucester on Friday. But the Raiders were defeated 7-6 Wednesday afternoon by Menchville.
Woodside took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Kelly lined a shot back to the mound that pitcher Katie Alexander couldn’t handle, allowing Hale to score from third. The Wolverines then put it away with a two-run sixth, which began with Hale’s single to left.
Andino then came to the plate, and conventional wisdom normally calls for a bunt to move the runner over.
Tallon told Andino to swing away, and she lined Alexander’s first pitch off the fence in right-center field. Hale scored without a throw, and Andino later came home on Kelly’s bunt single.
“Because we’re so young and it’s early, I want them to get in a habit of being aggressive,” Tallon said of giving Andino the green light.
“That’s all that is.”
Aside from Andino’s pitching and the timely hitting, Tallon also credited his team’s defense. Shortstop Kristie Hoeffer made two excellent plays, including a snag of Casey Robinson’s line drive to end the game.
WOODSIDE 3, KECOUGHTAN 0
Kecoughtan;000;000;0 – 0 2 2
Woodside;000;102;x – 3 8 0
WP—Andino (5-0) LP—Alexander (2-3). Standouts: Kecoughtan—Pulley 2-3. Woodside—Hale 2-3 (2 runs), Kelly 2-2 (2 RBI), Andino (11 strikeouts). Records: Kecoughtan 2-3; Woodside 5-0.