Bad Inning Snaps Spartans' Streak

By Jeff Nelson

Friday, April 3, 2009

The Broad Run Spartans had one bad inning Monday, and it cost them a game. It turns out they're human after all.

Stone Bridge's Michelle Mocabee and Caroline Kittinger led off the fifth inning with back-to-back doubles to spark a four-run rally for the Bulldogs, who claimed a 4-2 home win over Broad Run.

The loss snapped the Spartans' 61-game winning streak and marked their first defeat since the 2006 state quarterfinals, when they dropped a 2-1 decision to Powhatan.

"Getting that first loss under our belts, it was hard to experience," Broad Run senior Haley Johnson said. "We had forgotten what it felt like to be on the other side of the scoreboard."

Even though it was a nondistrict game, the loss signaled to the rest of the state — and the Spartans themselves — that Broad Run (5-1) is no lock for its third straight Virginia AA championship, even if it remains one of the top contenders.

"In the years before, we'd always roll over people and [fans would] joke about not coming to our games as much because we'd win easily," said Johnson, whose home run in the ninth inning on Tuesday gave Broad Run a 3-2 win over Loudoun County. "Now it will definitely be a lot closer and there will be more exciting games. We'll have to play inning by inning and not overlook any team we play."

For the Bulldogs (7-2), the win started a hectic week with much excitement. They played again Tuesday, beating Marshall, 7-0, and then ran their own modest winning streak to five games with a 3-1 victory over Park View on Wednesday.

The win over Broad Run "was just one game in the standings, but it definitely builds confidence for the rest of the year," said Stone Bridge pitcher Cassie Phillips, who scattered eight hits over seven innings against the Spartans. "And it gave our coach more confidence because he said, 'If we can beat them, we can beat most any team in the region.' "

By rebounding with its win over Loudoun County, Broad Run now will attempt to begin a new streak, although senior Megan Waterman said her teammates were never focused on the old one.

"We didn't really talk about it," said the shortstop who transferred from Texas. "We know we're a really good team and we know we shouldn't have lost, so it's not as much, 'The winning streak is over,' as 'We let ourselves down.' That's what we were upset about."

Big Win for Westfield

Westfield junior Kasey McMahon found herself in the type of situation Tuesday that so many softball players think about.

Bases loaded, two outs, full count, down a run in a big game.

"It was definitely one of those moments," she said, "one of those things you practice for."

The center fielder responded by stroking a single to right field to tie the Bulldogs' game against Centreville, and sophomore catcher Frankie Martinez followed with a smash that short-hopped the right field fence to bring home the winning run in a 10-9 Concorde District victory.

Westfield will be one of six Northern Region teams to gather at Madison tomorrow for the Warhawks' spring tournament. In addition to the hosts and Bulldogs, Mount Vernon, Lake Braddock, W.T. Woodson and West Springfield will play tomorrow and Monday.

Tagged: Broad Run High School, high school sports, softball, sports, Stone Bridge High School

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