Another strong pitching performance from Kaylee Cox lifted Grafton’s softball team to its first state tournament appearance in eight seasons after the Clippers defeated King’s Fork 6-1 in the 4A South Region semifinals Wednesday.
Cox pitched all seven innings, allowing one run on six hits, and helped her own cause offensively with an RBI base hit.
The Clippers took a 2-1 lead after the first inning, which proved to be enough as Cox kept the home team off the scoreboard the rest of the way.
Grafton would pad its lead with a run in the fourth and three more in the fifth to break the game open.
Hannah Olson, Emily Beyer and Chelsea Evans each collected two hits for the Clippers. Beyer scored twice and Olson once while Evans drove in one run.
For Coach Vanessa Young, Wednesday’s victory clinched her first trip to states in eight years heading the program. The Clippers will play in the 4A state semifinals at Liberty University on June 13.
“Everyone was just ecstatic,” Young said after the game. “The girls were pumped the coaches were pumped. We played a really tough district schedule so we knew we had to potential to do this. It feels great.”
Before their trip to the state tournament, the Clippers will play Friday in the 4A South Region championship against the winners of the Nansemond River-Powhatan matchup.
York’s Season Ends with Loss to Brentsville
Host Brentsville went ahead early with a pair of runs in each of the first two innings then hung on to beat York 4-1, ending the Falcons’ season in the 3A East Region semifinals Wednesday.
York Coach Amy Hunter credited Brentsville, which recorded 10 hits, with putting the ball in play and making things happen, although Maddie Capps came in on relief and pitched well the rest of the way to keep the Falcons within striking range.
The only run York would score, though, came in the top of the sixth inning after Lia Batchelor doubled to drive in Destiny Martinez, who reached earlier with a base hit.
Despite the loss, Hunter said she had no complaints about her team’s effort or the season as a whole.
“I told the girls I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Hunter said. “It was a great season in every aspect. We’re not hanging our heads.”
