Devilettes taken down

By Jason simcoe

Published: May 21, 2008

MANASSAS — Loudoun Valley didn’t wait long to get started Wednesday. By the time the Devilettes tried to mount a comeback, it was too late.

The Vikings did most of their damage in the first inning and held on to defeat CCHS 3-2 in the semifinals of the Cedar Run district tournament at Osbourn Senior High School.

CCHS senior Nichole Beall, the Cedar Run pitcher of the year, retired the first two batters she faced in the first inning, then gave up three consecutive hits, including a damaging two-run double by pitcher Caroline Williams, and Loudoun Valley took control.

Meanwhile, the Devilettes (15-5) couldn’t figure out Williams early on. Beall led off the game with a single. Then Anna Klumpp dropped a sacrifice bunt, the Vikings were able to turn a double play when Beall took a big turn at second and was tagged out.

Then Williams heated up, striking out the next seven batters she faced.

Logan Tretick provided some fireworks for the Vikings in the bottom of the second, hitting a towering drive over the left field fence that put Loudoun Valley up three.

The Devilettes came roaring back in the fourth inning when Beall led off with a single. She moved all the way to third when her sister, Michelle Beall, hit a ground ball back to the pitcher and Williams threw the ball away. The next batter, Sam May popped a bunt right to the Loudoun Valley first baseman, who launched a wild throw to third to trying to double up Nichole Beall. The ball went into left field, allowing Beall to score and putting the Devilettes on the board.

“I think the beginning of this game, we had a mental breakdown and we had to get ourselves regrouped,” CCHS coach Janice Gillespie said. “Once we did that we were fine.”

CCHS chipped away at the Vikings’ lead in the fifth. Sarah Campbell and Sam Robson led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Then Brittany Owens dropped a bunt but Campbell beat the throw to third and the bases were loaded. One out later, Nichole Beall lined a single into left field to score Campbell. But the next batter, Klumpp, grounded into a double play to end the threat.

The Devilettes had one last chance in the top of the seventh, but Williams struck out the side to lock up the LVHS win and send the Vikings to a finals matchup with Battlefield tomorrow night.

Jason Simcoe can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 166 or