Falcons Blank Pride to Set Shutout Record
ASHBURN, VA - Junior Kate Fowler scattered three hits over four scoreless innings, and freshman Macy Jones tossed three innings of shut-out relief as Briar Woods blanked visiting Heritage 7-0 Friday night in Ashburn.
With the win, the Falcons improved to 12-3 overall and 8-3 in the Dulles District. Briar Woods posted its single-season record eighth shutout, and the 12 wins matches the single-season school mark set last year when the Falcons finished 12-8.
Heritage, which knocked off Loudoun County a few weeks ago, threatened in the top of the first when it used a lead-off single and an error to place runners at first and second with one out. However, Fowler induced a pair of ground outs to end the inning.
The Falcon offense went to work quickly, plating three runs in the bottom of the first. Junior Holly Dominguez doubled to start the home half of the inning and came around to score when sophomore Kristina Karagiorgis followed with a single. Karagiorgis moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Macy Jones and then
stole third before scoring easily on a single by junior Caitlin Blalock. Sophomore Jillian Olson later singled home Blalock to give Briar Woods an early 3-0 lead.
After Fowler struck out the side in the top of the second, the Falcon offense went back to work and added two more runs in the bottom of the frame.
With one out, Dominguez and Karagiorgis hit back-to-back singles before Jones drilled a shot to right for a single which scored Dominguez. The ball was misplayed into a two-base error, allowing Karagiorgis to also score and Jones to advance to third.
Fowler encountered some trouble in the third when Heritage used a lead-off single, an outfield error and an infield slap single to put runners on second and third with just one out. Fowler again kept the Pride off the scoreboard with ground outs to first and third.
After stranding two runners in a scoreless third, the Falcons tacked on single runs in the fourth and sixth innings.
In the fourth, Karagiorgis lined a shot to left that was misplayed into a two-base error, and sophomore Kasey Ball dropped a single into center to plate Karagiorgis and give the Falcons a 6-0 cushion.
Dominguez led off the sixth with a single and later came home on a Karagiorgis sacrifice fly to cap the scoring.
Fowler struck out five in her four scoreless innings to improve to 8-3 on the season. She also drew a pair of walks at the plate.
Jones entered the circle in the fifth and retired 10 of the 11 batters she faced, including the final six by strikeout. She walked one and did not allow a hit. She was also 1-for-3 with one RBI and a sacrifice bunt.
Dominguez finished 3-for-4 with two singles, a double and three runs scored, while Karagiorgis singled twice, scored twice and drove in two runs.
Blalock, Ball and Olson had RBI-singles, and sophomore Alex Fierszt also singled.
