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Viking bats remain hot
A bone-numbing wind made a spring day feel more like winter March 24 when Loudoun Valley hosted Jefferson (W.Va.) for a nondistrict softball game in Purcellville.While players and spectators bundled up and kept moving to fight off the chill, the only thing that stayed warm throughout the game was the aluminum bats swung by the Viking hitters.
Loudoun Valley pounded out 16 hits, including five doubles, as it eclipsed double digits in runs scored for a third consecutive game in a 19-6 victory over Jefferson Monday evening.
“Obviously, you keep warmer when you are moving. So putting the ball in play and running the bases definitely helped,” Valley junior center fielder Hayley Grabner said. “We just kept our energy up really well.”
The Vikings (3-0) have plated 48 runs in victories over Stone Bridge, Heritage and Jefferson to open the 2008 season.
Grabner singled and walked three times as she scored in each of the first four innings from the leadoff spot.
Perrin Raudabaugh, Brittany Latka, Caroline Williams, Shelby Wassman, Rachel Harvey, Hailey Tretick, Karli Johnson-Kemp and Amanda Horton joined Grabner in the hit parade as nine different Vikings produced at least one hit in the 13-run victory.
“We are hitting pretty well all the way through the lineup, which is really nice because it’s a little early in the season to be doing that,” said coach Joe Spicer, who guided Valley to Group AA State championships in 2003 and 2005.
“I’m pretty pleased with that,” Spicer continued. “I think that makes it pretty difficult to play against us if everybody in our lineup is hitting.”
Williams earned the pitching victory after two successful stints inside the circle during the game. Williams did not surrender a hit and struck out three in holding the Cougars scoreless over the first three innings.
After Haley Athey relieved Williams for two-plus innings, Williams returned to the circle with one out in the sixth inning and closed out the game by retiring five of the six batters she faced. Williams struck out six and allowed just one hit in five and two-thirds innings of work.
Three Viking errors and home runs by Megan Carroll and Tori Hutto helped Jefferson score five times during the fourth and fifth innings. The Cougars (1-2) added a solo run in the sixth.
Valley scored 15 runs in the first three innings before Spicer made wholesale changes to his starting lineup.
“If we can get our depth where it needs to be, I think we’ll be in pretty good shape,” Spicer said. “We are real pleased with our starting lineup right now.”
The Vikings will play another nondistrict game March 26 at Westfield before beginning their first season in the Cedar Run District March 28. Valley will host Osbourn Park Friday at 5 p.m. in its district opener.
“Our next goal is to get the win [Wednesday]. We are taking it step-by-step,” Graber said. “But eventually our goals would be districts, regionals and then moving on up.”
After two years of playing a nondistrict regular season schedule as partial members of the Group AAA National District, the Vikings will compete for a regular season district title this season.
Valley joins Battlefield, Culpeper, Fauquier, Liberty, Osbourn, Osbourn Park and Stonewall Jackson in making up the eight-team Cedar Run District.
“It’s good to be back in a district because now we know what we are playing for,” Grabner said. “I’m excited because a lot of these schools are new to me, new to everyone.”
| Softball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Runs | Hits | Errors |
| Jefferson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 3 |
| Loudoun Valley | 4 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | X | 19 | 16 | 4 |
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