Delahaba's 18K's Ends New Kent's Season 3-0
ASHBURN, VA - Caitlyn Delahaba tied her own state record with her 10th no-hitter of the season, striking out 18, and helped her own cause with an RBI double as Broad Run blanked New Kent 3-0 Wednesday night to advance to Friday's state semifinals at Radford University.
The defending state champion Spartans, who improved to 26-0 and extended their winning streak to 55 games dating back to the start of last season, will face Salem (21-6) in the second state semifinal Friday at 1 p.m. Salem knocked off Turner Ashby 2-0 in the quarterfinals Wednesday. In Friday's first semifinal (10 a.m.), Tunstall (22-3) will meet Poquoson (20-6). Tunstall blanked Spotswood 4-0 in Wednesday's quarterfinal round, while Poquoson edged Loudoun County 4-3.
Broad Run and New Kent had to wait out a rain delay that lasted nearly an hour before facing off in a rematch of last year's state title game, which the Spartans claimed by an 8-0 margin behind Delahaba's no-hit, 12-strikeout performance.
Delahaba, who stretched her national record consecutive scoreless innings streak to 146, continued her dominance of the Trojans Wednesday night, striking out the first nine batters. New Kent then went to its bunting game to try to get a baserunner, and the strategy finally worked when Ashley McMichael reached on a two-out error in the fourth.
Delahaba was unphased and promptly struck out Trojan slugger Laura Bauer to end the inning. New Kent got its second baserunner in the sixth when Rachel Baldwin coaxed a one-out walk, but Delahaba fanned Tyler Fleming and Maria Bates to retire the side. Delahaba then struck out the final three Trojans in the top of the seventh to complete her 36th career no-hitter and 65th career shutout.
Broad Run got all the runs it needed when it scored twice in the bottom of the second. Haley Johnson laced a lead-off single to left and was replaced by courtesy runner Jen Soroka. Soroka advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when Delahaba laced a double down the right field line. Alba Crues, running for Delahaba, later scored when Anna Blessing's grounder to second was misplayed.
The Spartans capped the scoring with another run in the fifth. Ashley Kramer muscled a single to center and later scored on a double by Karla Powell. New Kent pitcher Becca Mills held the potent Spartan offense to just four hits on the night. She walked three, hit two and struck out two.
Kramer, Powell, Johnson and Delahaba each collected a hit.
