Lady Falcons Dream Season Ends At Orange Co.
ORANGE, VA - The Briar Woods softball team fell one game short of reaching the state tournament as the Falcons fell to host Orange County 5-3 in the Region II semifinals Thursday night in Orange, Va.
Briar Woods concluded its season with an 18-5 overall record as well as the program's first-ever Dulles District Tournament championship and regional playoff berth. After combining for just two wins in their first two years (0-21 in 2006 and 2-19 in 2007), the Falcons have totaled 30 victories in the last two season (12-8 last year and 18-5 this year).
The Falcons spotted Orange (20-3) a pair of unearned runs on a two-out throwing error in the bottom of the first but regained their composure and cut the deficit in half with a run in the third.
Briar Woods then plated two runs in the fifth to take a 3-2 advantage, but the Hornets tied the game on a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the frame and scored the decisive runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.
The Falcons looked to draw first blood when sophomore Kristina Karagiorgis lined a one-out single up the middle in the opening frame. However, Orange senior pitcher Heather Jenkins worked out of the inning with a pop up and strikeout.
Falcon junior hurler Kate Fowler started off strong, getting Christina Spencer to ground out to short to start the home half of the first. Controversy quickly ensued, however, as Orange sophomore Micalah Sacre ripped a shot down the left field line that was clearly foul by at least a foot - Sacre even stopped running halfway down the first base line - but the home plate umpire ruled the ball fair, and Sacre continued to first.
Fowler then hit Amanda Pritchett before striking out clean-up hitter Jenkins for the second out. The Falcons appeared ready to get out of the inning, but an infield throwing error allowed both runners to score to give the Hornets an early 2-0 lead.
Fowler reached on a one-out infield single in the second but was stranded, and she surrendered back-to-back two-out singles in the bottom of the inning before getting the hard-hitting Sacre on a comebacker.
Sacre took over in the circle for the Orange in the top of the third, and the Falcons immediately went to work. Sophomore Alex Fierszt drew a lead-off walk and moved to second on a one-out single by Karagiorgis. Jones then reached on an error to load the bases, and junior Caitlin Blalock plated Fierszt with a ground out to second. Sacre used a strike out to end the inning.
Karagiorgis then went into the circle for the Falcons in the third and quickly retired Pritchett on a comebacker before walking Jenkins. An infield error gave the Hornets runners on first and second with one out, but Falcon sophomore catcher Jillian Olson nailed Pritchett at third as she tried to advance on a passed ball. Karagiorgis used another comebacker to end the threat.
Both teams then went scoreless in the fourth. Sacre set the Falcons down on two strikeouts and a pop up, while Briar Woods used a spectacular defensive play from junior Holly Dominguez to work out of trouble in the bottom of the inning.
With two outs, Orange drew back-to-back walks to bring Sacre to the plate. She sent a low blooper into foul territory down the left field line, but Dominguez raced over from her shortstop position and made a sliding catch on her knees to end the threat.
Dominguez then started a two-run rally in the top of the fifth as she was hit by a pitch from Jenkins. Jones drilled a one-out double to the center field fence to give the Falcons runners at second and third, and back-to-back ground outs by Blalock and sophomore Kasey Ball gave the Falcons their first lead of the night and sent a rowdy visitors crowd into a frenzy.
The excitement was short-lived, however, as Orange quickly pulled even in the bottom of the inning. Pritchett drew a lead-off walk, and courtesy runner Amanda Parker advanced to second on a passed ball. Karagiorgis struck out Jenkins looking, and Roberts sacrificed Parker to third for the second out. Amanda Murphy then came through with a clutch hit, as she roped a double to the fence in left field to easily score Parker with the tying run. Fowler threw a strike to Blalock to nail Murphy trying to stretch her hit into a triple.
Jenkins set the Falcons down in order in the top of the sixth, and Orange used another two-out rally to move in front for good. A strikeout, single and fielder's choice gave the Hornets a runner at first with two down, but a passed ball put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Spencer then sent a shot down the third base line that tipped off Blalock's outstretched glove and rolled into left field, allowing the winning run to score.
Spencer advanced to second on the play, and, with first base open, the Falcons intentionally walked Sacre. Pritchett then singled through the left side of the infield to score Spencer with the game's final run.
Sacre returned to the circle for Orange in the seventh and retired the Falcons in order to earn the save.
Karagiorgis singled twice to account for half of the Falcons' four hits. Fowler had a single and Jones added a double.
Jenkins earned the win after working the first, second, fifth and sixth innings. She allowed two runs on three hits and struck out two. Sacre struck out seven in three innings and gave up an unearned run.
Karagiorgis (3-1) suffered the loss in relief, allowing three runs on four hits in four innings. She walked five (one intentionally) and struck out two.
