Lynchburg, Christiansburg ,Va. ā We had four area schools in VHSL Softball Championships on Saturday. In Class 1, Auburn defeated Rappahannock 7-1 to win the programs second consecutive VHSL State Championship. Pitcher Kirsten Fleet racked up 16 strikeouts and had no walks in the victory.
In Class 2, Appomattox County was crowned champion after a 2-0 victory over Randolph-Henry. Pitcher Courtney Layne threw her fourth perfect game this season.
āI just take it pitch by pitch, just like every other game,ā she said. āEveryone told me to treat it like any other game and celebrate after. My defense has been backing me my entire post season and regular season too, and theyāve made some outstanding plays where it could have been a difference in a game so I trust them with everything I have.ā
The game was scoreless until the top of the sixth inning when the Raiders scored two runs and hung on to win the first state championship since head coach Janet Rawes was on the team in 1987.
āRight now, it feels surreal, so maybe tomorrow when the cameras and action isnāt in your face, it will be more realistic, but you canāt put a word to it,ā Rawes said. The Raiders finished the season undefeated.
In Class 3, Rustburg also finished its season with a 1-0 championship victory over New Kent. Pitcher and UVA commit Eden Bigham racked up 16 strikeouts.
Amherst County and Hanover went to extra innings on Saturday with the Lancers gaining the 2-0 Class 4 State Championship win.
On the baseball diamond, just like the schoolās softball program, Auburn baseball also won back-to-back Class 1 State Championships. The Eagles defeated Essex 5-2 behind timely hitting and great pitching from Reed Underwood.
In Class lacrosse 4 action, E.C. Glass very nearly pulled off one of those comebacks you talk about long into retirement. The Hilltoppers trailed Dominion by a 10-4 score midway through the third quarter in Lynchburg, and the Virginia Class 4 boysā lacrosse championship appeared all but over.
But EC Glass rallied all the way back to 11-10 before running out of time. Woody Carrington led the way, but when he started drawing too much defensive attention, he started finding freshman sensation Robert Sorenson, who helped lead the way on the offensive end.
āOur defense played played their hearts out at the end of that game and we had some young guys really pick it up and score some big goals for ourselves. Itās just a matter of one more shot and that game is tied. So hats off to Dominion --outstanding group, but Iām proud of my boys. Lotta heart out there. They left at all on all of the field and thatās all you can ask for as a coach.ā Head Hilltoppers coach Eddie Ranuska said.
The Hilltoppers finished the year 8-2, Dominion closes out the spring campaign undefeated at 12-0.