Gretna Defeats Virginia High 6-4 To Advance
RADFORD, VA - Gretna sophomore Kelley Dalton hustled around second and kept on chugging to third for a triple in the sixth inning. The catcher, out of breath, excitedly jumped up to begin a wild celebration in the Hawks' dugout.
Dalton's bases-clearing triple in the top of the sixth ignited a five-run inning and catapulted Gretna to a 6-4 victory over Virginia High in the Group A state softball semifinals Friday at Veteran's Park.
Gretna (17-7), the 2008 Group A state champion, advances to today's championship game and will face Holston (24-2), a 4-3 winner over Nandua in 10 innings in Friday's first semifinal game. The state title game is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Radford University.
Dalton's heroics came against Virginia High freshman pitcher Megan Thompson, who had limited the damage in the first five innings. Following a walk and hit batter to load the bases with two outs, Dalton laced Thompson's offering to right-center field past a drawn-in outfield, easily scoring all three runners.
Nikki Bowler followed with an RBI single to left and scored on a controversial play at first base that allowed Nina Compton to reach. In the confusion, Bowler came all the way around to score and Compton ended up at third without the ball leaving the infield, putting the Hawks up 6-1.
The Bearcats (21-6) managed three hits through the first five innings against Gretna junior Nichole Mills, but managed to rattle off seven hits and score three runs in the final two innings to tighten the score.
Virginia High senior shortstop Fallon Thomas went 3-for-3 with a home run and two runs scored. She scored a run in the sixth, while Thompson and Taylor McReynolds scored in the seventh.
Thompson allowed six runs on eight hits and two walks. The freshman right-hander also hit five batters.
Mills and first baseman Brittnie Cooke had two hits apiece. Mills allowed four runs on 10 hits in her seven innings in the circle. The junior right-hander struck out a postseason-low two, but again relied on her defense.
Gretna struck first in the top of the first inning. Mills crushed a triple to left field and scored on Cooke's groundout. Thomas scorched a one-out home run in the third inning to tie the contest until Dalton's triple.
