Published: April 22, 2008 04:57 pm            

Valley girls post diamond wins

The Valley and Fayetteville girls split a softball doubleheader Wednesday. Valley captured the first game 2-0 and Fayetteville rebounded with a 15-0 shutout in the nightcap.

In the opener, VHS pitcher Emily Donato struck out 13 and gave up two Pirate hits, singles by Casey Smith and Erica Payne.

For the Greyhounds (6-2), Brielle Parker was 2-for-3, Elizabeth Beard was 1-for-3 with one RBI, Chelsie Horrocks was 1-for-2, and Casey Nichols was 1-for-3.

The Pirates got it in gear in the nightcap, pushing across their runs in three innings. Laken Bone was 2-for-3 and drove in three runs for the winners. Also, Erin Long was 3-for-3 and had two RBIs, Bryana Christian knocked in three runs, Destiny Coleman drove in two, and Kara Evans had one RBI.

Amy Holly struck out seven Greyhounds and allowed just one hit — a Sabrina Lopetrone single — to record the win on the mound.

Also last week, the Valley girls defeated Mount Hope 13-5 and 18-3.

Brooke Belmont powered the VHS offense in the opener by going 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and four RBIs. Donato (3-for-3), Parker, Beard and Horrocks knocked in two runs apiece, and Caitlin Elliott and Nichols supplied base hits.

The Greyhounds also took advantage of six Mount Hope errors. Elliott earned the pitching win, fanning seven in five innings.

An 11-run uprising in the third inning paved the way for the 15-run VHS win in the nightcap.

Lopetrone was 2-for-4 and drove in three runs to pace Valley. Horrocks was 2-for-2 with a triple and two RBIs, Rachael Hamrick produced a double and an RBI, Nichols drove in a run, and Parker was 1-for-1.

Megan Willis struck out four and issued two walks to gain the mound win.

For the Mustangs, Tiffany Manning was 2-for-2 with an RBI in the first game, and Michelle Suttle knocked in a run. In the second outing, Manning had one RBI and G. Putnam was 2-for-2.

Also last week, the VHS girls fell 7-0 to Charleston Catholic. Horrocks and Nichols produced hits for the ‘Hounds.

Belmont struck out four in the first three innings, while Donato fanned five in the final four frames.



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Coach Jeff Minter says this year’s squad is led by seniors Kara McGraw (second base), Brielle Parker (shortstop) and Casey Nichols (centerfield), all four-year starters. “They’ve really led us,” he said.

“We’ve got a pretty good group of girls,” Minter added. “Last year we started five or six freshmen, so we’ve got a good bunch of sophomores this season.”

That group includes the team’s three main pitchers — Emily Donato, Brooke Belmont and Caitlin Elliott, who are rotating and “doing a good job.”

Through the first six games, Chelsie Horrocks leads the VHS batting in varsity and junior varsity games combined with a .727 batting average (8-for-11). Other averages include: Megan Begley, .667; Crystal Jordan and Keeley Abbott, .500; Brielle Parker, .467; Sabrina Lopetrone, .400; Rachel Hamrick, .364; Caitlin Elliott, .357; Brooke Belmont, .353; Elizabeth Beard, .333; Emily Donato and Kara McGraw, .267; Heather Tolley, .250; Madison McDermott, .231; Casey Nichols, .214; Megan Willis, .143; and Kristin Pauley, .000.

        

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