Published: April 29, 2008 07:43 pm            

Softball update

In high school girls softball action on Thursday, the Valley girls continued their strong play, defeating Greenbrier West 13-7 in a varsity contest and topping the Cavaliers 7-5 in jayvee play.

The Greyhounds tallied nine runs in the second and third innings to gain control of the varsity game.

Casey Nichols and Emily Donato each knocked in three runs for Valley, while Brielle Parker (2-for-4) launched a homer and drove in two runs and Chelsie Horrocks was 2-for-4 with a double and a pair of RBIs. Also, Rachael Hamrick and Brooke Belmont drove in one run each, and Kara McGraw smacked a double.

Belmont went the distance on the mound, striking out four and walking none while scattering seven hits.

Leslie Shoemaker drove in a pair of runs for West.

Megan Willis fanned seven and walked five in pitching Valley to the jayvee triumph. She was also 1-for-3 at the plate.

Also for the VHS offense, Kristin Pauley (1-for-3) delivered a triple and three RBIs, Sabrina Lopetrone was 2-for-3, Crystal Jordan was 1-for-3, and Elizabeth Beard had one RBI.

On Saturday, Valley lost 15-0 to Oak Hill and 13-2 to Poca. Beard and Hamrick each had an RBI in the Poca loss.

Valley begins sectional tournament play Thursday. At Riverside High School, Charleston Catholic and Mount Hope play at 5 p.m., with the winner playing the ‘Hounds (9-8) at 7 p.m. On Friday, the two first-day losers play at 5 p.m., with the two winners meeting at 7 p.m. The if-necessary game is set for noon Saturday.

“We’ve got to swing the bats,” said Valley coach Jeff Minter, whose team lost to Catholic twice and beat Mount Hope twice in the regular season. “We need to get some runs and cut down on our crazy errors.”



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On Thursday, the Greyhound girls suffered an 8-3 setback to Charleston Catholic.

The host Irish pushed across three runs in the first inning and two more in the third en route to the triumph.

Caitlin Elliott (2-for-4), Chelsie Horrocks (2-for-4) and Kara McGraw (double) drove in a run apiece for Valley. Emily Donato added a double and Madison McDermott was 1-for-1.

Marty Wilcox collected two triples in three at-bats and drove in a pair of runs for Catholic. Ally Hoyer and Stephanie Supcoe had two RBIs each.

Hoyer pitched up the win on the mound, while Elliott, who struck out three and walked seven, absorbed the loss.

The previous day, the Valley girls claimed a varsity-jayvee sweep of Meadow Bridge. In the varsity contest, Valley posted a 13-3 verdict. In the junior varsity outing, the Greyhounds emerged with a 13-4 triumph.

Valley tallied five runs in the top of the fourth to erase a 2-0 deficit in the varsity affair, the ‘Hounds pushed across eight runs in the final two innings to earn the 10-run win.

Valley boasted a balanced offensive attack. Megan Willis was 2-for-4 with a triple and a pair of RBIs to lead the way. Also knocking in two runs apiece were Horrocks (double), Brielle Parker, McDermott and Brooke Belmont (double). McGraw drove in a run, and Elizabeth Beard and Crystal Jordan each supplied a base hit.

For Meadow Bridge, Leah Whitt was 2-for-3 and Cayli Bolen and Brittany Lusk contributed hits.

Belmont gained the mound win in relief of Elliott. Both pitchers registered two strikeouts and two walks. Kelly Forren was tagged with the loss for Meadow Bridge. Forren fanned four and issued eight walks.

In the jayvee game, Valley plated six runs in the first and seven in the second.

McDermott had two doubles in two at-bats, Megan Begley, Kristin Pauley and Jordan (double) knocked in one run each, and Casey Nichols had a single.

Laira Forren’s single was Meadow Bridge’s lone hit.

Last Monday, the Greyhounds dropped an 8-0 varsity verdict to Van, then gained a 6-4 junior varsity win over the Bulldogs.

Horrocks was 2-for-3 with a pair of two-baggers for Valley, and Belmont and Beard each added a single.

In the jayvee outing, Jordan drove in two runs and Sabrina Lopetrone was 2-for-2 to lead the ‘Hounds. Begley and Keeley Abbott both knocked in runs, and Beard was 1-for-1.

Elliott fanned five and walked one to earn the pitching decision.

        

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