Beall, Devilettes take care of Fauquier

By Jason simcoe

Published: April 25, 2008

Friday’s game against Fauquier couldn’t have gone much better for Culpeper County High School. From the no-hitter in the pitcher’s circle to the offensive production at every spot in the order, the Blue Devilettes cruised to a 6-1 victory.

Nichole Beall faced the minimum through three innings before two errors in the fourth helped thwart the shutout. Nevertheless, Fauquier failed to get a hit off the CCHS senior and drew only two walks in seven innings.

“I’m just out there pitching,” Beall said after recording six strikeouts. “I’m not going out there to strike people out. If I can get ground balls for my infield, that’s good. Everybody is hot right now and we’re working as a team. Our chemistry is really good right now.”

Culpeper (11-2, 5-2 Cedar Run District) had no trouble scoring against the Falcons. The Devilettes scored four times in the first inning and were in control throughout. Beall doubled and scored her first two times up and her twin sister Michelle Beall finished the game with a single, an RBI and a run scored.
But it wasn’t just the star sisters at the top of the order coming through for CCHS. Sam May, hitting in the No. 7 slot, had a double and a triple, drove in a pair of runs and scored once. Freshman Zaneta Puller also drove in a run while pinch hitting in the No. 9 spot.

“They’re hitting the ball really well right now,” Culpeper coach Janice Gillespie said of her team. “I can’t complain about that. It seems to be what we always struggle with, but they’re hitting it well.”
With the Devilettes entering the stretch run in the Cedar Run District, Gillespie’s squad seems to be playing its best ball of the season. Fauquier (6-7, 2-6) took Culpeper to extra innings on March 20. This time around the Falcons were no match a day after CCHS won a hard-fought game at Highland.

“To come out here and jump right on them and beat them 6-1 says a lot,” Gillespie said. “That’s what I’ve been saying all along is that we’re peaking when we need to be peaking.”

Shane Mettlen can be reached at 825-0771, ext. 127 or