Wood Softball Holds Off Clarke, 7-5

Posted: March 19, 2015
By JOSH DORSEY
Special to The Winchester Star

WINCHESTER — The James Wood softball team was able to rely on a few of its freshmen and held off Clarke County for a 7-5 non-district win on a chilly Wednesday night at James Wood.

The Colonels (2-0) built up a 7-0 lead after five innings, but they had to withstand a five-run rally by Clarke County in the sixth inning before they could secure the win.

James Wood defeated Luray 7-5 in its season opener Tuesday while Clarke County (1-1) opened with a 23-1 win over Manassas Park on Monday.

First-year Colonels coach Todd Baker said he saw improvement from Tuesday’s game, and was glad the Colonels held on for the win when freshman pitcher Lani Spielman recorded the final two outs after the Clarke County put runners on first and second with one out in the seventh inning.

“We work to try and get better every day,” Baker said. “We certainly played better defense than we did [Tuesday] night. That’s a good team over there. We knew that they would try and stay in the game and they did. They came back on us.”

Thanks to their freshmen, the Colonels had enough cushion to survive the Eagles’ push and finish the win.

James Wood freshman pitcher Lauren King started the night for the Colonels and was nearly untouchable for five innings while delivering to her freshman catcher Lindsey Anderson (3 for 4 with a two-run home run).

Until the fifth inning King did not allow a runner past second base.

“I just think [Anderson and I have] played together long enough so we have a really good relationship,” said King, who earned the win after striking out nine batters and allowing five earned runs in 61/3 innings. “It makes it a lot easier to play together on a team that has so much talent and since we already know each other everything just clicks.”

During that time James Wood manufactured runs in both the first and third innings.

In the first inning King (two RBIs) was at the plate when a passed ball on strike three rolled to the backstop and allowed sophomore shortstop Courteney Harper (three runs, one hit, two walks) to score from third base while King ran out the play to first.

In the third King helped her cause by grounding into a fielder’s choice that brought home the Colonels’ second run.

It was in the fourth inning that James Wood showed its power and blew the game wide open.

A leadoff double by Spielman (two hits) set the Colonels up for a big inning. Good defense by the Eagles, including a play at the plate in which Eagles catcher Kendall Benoit was able to keep the Colonels off the board, made it appear that Clarke County would escape the danger.

However, with two outs back-to-back hits from junior center fielder Taylor Woolsey (two hits) and Harper brought runs in.

What followed was the biggest hit of the game. With Harper on first base, Anderson stepped to the plate and drove a ball deep over the fence in right-center field for her first career home run. The blast gave the Colonels a four-run fourth inning and a 6-0 lead.

“I waited on my pitch and drove it,” Anderson said. “It felt good because it was my first one.”

James Wood would manufacture another insurance run in the fifth inning on a pitch that found its way to the backstop and gave the Colonels a 7-0 lead.

“This team is built with good team speed,” Baker said. “We like to use small ball when we have to but then we also have the power.”

Just when it seemed as though the Colonels had the game under control the Eagles were finally able to get to King and the Colonels in the sixth inning.

In the top of the sixth Clarke County was able to work the counts in its favor with plate discipline and loaded the bases with no outs. Third basemen Haley Haun then ended the shutout by drawing an RBI walk and kept the bases loaded for shortstop Molly Lanham, who didn’t disappoint.

On the first pitch she saw Lanham drove the ball past the outfielders and into the gap in right-center field for a bases-clearing three-RBI triple. Lanham would then score on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Whitney Mitchell and draw the Eagles within two at 7-5.

Clarke County coach Susan Grubbs was pleased with the Eagles’ rally.

“I’m really proud of all their effort,” Grubbs said. “I told them out there at 7-0 they could have packed it up. But we got right back in it.

“They showed tremendous heart and tremendous character. A lot of them had to step up into new positions tonight and I think they did a wonderful job. That’s just the kind of girls we have. They have tremendous tenacity. They are not quitters at all. They are winners. I’ve got a lot of youth and some experience too. I am very proud of them all.”

James Wood went quietly in its half of the sixth and sent King back out to finish the game.

After recording the first out King ran into some trouble with two runners on and one out after three batters.

Baker turned to Spielman, and she retired both batters she faced — striking out one — to polish off the second straight 7-5 victory for the Colonels.

“We talk about team concept and we are one unit and there are no individuals,” Baker said. “I know [King] wanted to stay out there and finish the seven innings but I felt like it was time to make the change. It’s hard to come in cold like that but Lani did a great job.”