James Wood falls in state softball quarterfinals

The James Wood softball gave Woodgrove something that it hasn’t seen in awhile — some competition.

But in the end, the unbeaten Wolverines had star pitcher Abbey Lane, who tossed a one-hitter in a 7-1 triumph against the Colonels in the Class 4 quarterfinals on Tuesday in Purcellville.

Woodgrove (24-0) advances to the semifinals on Friday against Hanover at Western Albemarle High School. James Wood, which made its second consecutive trip the state tournament, finishes the season 19-5.

The Wolverines have beaten 17 foes by 10 or more runs this season, including the last seven heading into Tuesday’s clash with the Colonels. James Wood trailed just 2-0 through four innings, before Woodgrove put up three in the bottom of the fifth to push the margin to 5-0.

That was plenty for Lane, who struck out 11 and did not walk a batter. She did not surrender a hit until Skyla Compton’s RBI double in the seventh inning.

“Abbey Lane is one of the best in the state, if not the best in the state,” said James Wood coach Patrick Gibson via telephone after the game. “… We ran up against it, but I thought our kids fought for seven innings. That’s what we wanted them to do. We prepared hard for [Lane] and we cut down on the strikeouts for the most part. We just couldn’t get enough hits and string enough together.”

Cadence Rieg started for the Colonels and blanked the Wolverines in three of the first four innings. In the second, Woodgrove broke through with an unearned run and when Rieg hit a batter with the bases loaded.

After surrendering a double and a walk to start the fifth, Rieg eventually was replaced by Sophia Gerald. Faith Barker delivered a two-run single and Virginia Dowell added an RBI single to make it 5-0.

The Wolverines added two more runs on bases-loaded walks in the sixth.

Lane, the George Mason recruit who has pitched multiple no-hitters this season, was looking to add to that total, but lost that bid and a shutout in the seventh. With one out, Brynnen Williams reached on an error. One out later, Skylar Compton belted a double that narrowly missed going over the fence in right. Williams easily scored to make it 7-1 before Lane got a groundout to end the game.

Gibson said the Colonels hit several balls hard throughout the contest, but the Wolverines made big plays behind Lane, who pitched them to the Class 5 title last year.

“We just didn’t get enough traffic to create pressure on her,” he said. “Props to her. She’s legit.”

Gibson said the Colonels’ defense could have been better and he was especially disappointed that the four pitchers he used gave up seven walks. “You can't give a team like Woodgrove free baserunners,” he said. “We got into so jams, but I was proud of the way we got out of them.

“… I wanted them to lay it on the line for seven innings,” Gibson added. “That’s what they did and I was proud of them for that.”

Gibson said Tuesday’s results doesn’t tarnish a fine season. Last season was the program’s first-ever trip to the state tournament and from that squad James Wood graduated seven seniors. The Colonels started three freshmen and two sophomores on Tuesday.

“We had three goals in mind at the beginning of the season,” he said. “The two main ones were winning the [Class 4 Northwestern] District and the second obviously was making it to states. The third one was you had to win that regional championship so you don’t have to face a Woodgrove in the [state quarterfinal] round.

“I said early in the season that anything less than making the states would be a disappointment and this team got it done,” he said. “We lost eight players from last year, seven seniors and had an ACL injury to one of our key players (Kayleigh Harden). To lose eight players and come back to make it to states, that shows what kind of senior leadership we had on this team and other kids, too. I couldn’t be more proud of them. Eventually we’ve got to get over that hump and win a game at states.”

James Wood graduates four seniors — pitcher/outfielder Rieg, outfielder Compton, first baseman/pitcher Jenna Shull and reserve Emma Pitta. Rieg (Shenandoah), Shull (Mary Baldwin) and Compton (Potomac State) will each play collegiately.

“We’re going to miss them tremendously,” Gibson said. “I told them today, ‘I can’t believe that it’s over.’ I’m going to miss not going to practice tomorrow with them. I’m so proud of them. They gave me everything they had. They went to states two out of four years and that’s unheard of.”

— Contact Walt Moody at

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