Valley Falls to No. 1 Battlefield

Bobcats Push Across a Run in the Eighth Inning

By Jeff Nelson

Friday, April 17, 2009

Battlefield sophomore Bailey Liddle singled home senior Brittany Clendenny in the bottom of the eighth inning Thursday night to give the top-ranked Bobcats a 1-0 home win over Loudoun Valley.

Battlefield (10-0) set up the game-winning run with a single by Clendenny, a walk by sophomore Katie Sutphin and a grounder by senior Jessica Anglin that resulted in an unsuccessful fielder's choice, which loaded the bases with one out.

Liddle, who had never had a walk-off hit for the Bobcats, worked the count full before slapping the ball back up the middle and under the glove of Vikings pitcher Caroline Williams.

"It was awesome to win because Loudoun Valley is our biggest competition, definitely in the district, but probably in the region, too," said Liddle, who finished 2 for 4.

Williams struck out seven for the Vikings (6-2) and gave up only four hits, but she was outdone by Battlefield senior Brittany Black, who struck out 11 with no walks and only one hit allowed.

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Battlefield Edges Valley Softball in 8 Innings

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Battlefield's center fielder Kelsie Scott and right fielder Kelsey Sayres collide on a fly ball hit by Valley's Karli Johnson. The ball was not caught. (John McDonnell)

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Valley's 3rd baseman Ashleigh Miller does not have her foot on the base for a force out of Battlefield's Brittnay Clendenny. This loaded the bases, Clendenny then scored the only run on the play. (John McDonnell)

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Battlefield's Brittnay Clendenny crosses home plate with the winning run as Valley's catcher Karli Johnson waits for the throw. (John McDonnell)

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Loudoun Valley's Shelby Wassman walks off the filed as Battlefield's Brittnay Clendenny (who scored the winning run) hugs Bailey Liddle, who drove her in. (John McDonnell)

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By Being Cool, Stallians' Dunham Stays Hot

As good as Chelsey Dunham has been for South County the past three years, the junior pitcher has always accepted one important fact: She can't shut out every team she faces.

That knowledge has helped her become one of Virginia's best in the circle, because even when Dunham gives up some early runs -- which happened against Yorktown on Monday, when she allowed three in the first two innings -- she never falls apart.

"It's going to happen," she said. "Girls can hit. You just have to let it go and not think about it. I just try to focus my energy and throw harder and use it so they don't score again."

Dunham, voted by coaches as second-team all-state last season, is 10-1 on the year, with her only loss coming to Walsh (Ohio) in the Grand Strand Softball Classic at Myrtle Beach, where she and the Stallions went 4-1.

In 71 innings, Dunham has a 0.59 ERA, a 0.69 WHIP, and a pair of no-hitters against Lee and T.C. Williams. But it's those games when she struggles a bit that one of her greatest assets -- her composure -- is on full display.

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"They bang a homer off her in the first inning [Monday] -- no big deal," Stallions Coach Al Thompson said, referring to what became a 6-4 win. "Down at the beach, she had bases loaded, no outs, three times, and got out of each of them -- no big deal. . . . She mixes her pitches and never gets flustered."

Wildcat Wants a Title

As a junior, Meghan Smith joined the Mountain View field hockey team for her one and only season in that sport, and the Wildcats won the Commonwealth District championship. But as she plays her fourth year of softball, the senior shortstop continues to chase an elusive title in her preferred sport.

"It would mean a lot to me," said Smith, who will head to Appalachian State in the fall. "I just want to walk out of Mountain View with a district championship" in softball.

After finishing second to Stafford last season, the Wildcats have started this year 8-0-1, with a tie against the defending champs on March 27. In Mountain View's previous game against Brooke Point, Smith had her team's only two hits in a 2-1 win.

She is hitting .455 on the season.

"She bats third for her power, but she can lay down a bunt in a heartbeat; she can slap if we need that. She's a very versatile player," Mountain View Coach Pattie Sullivan said. "And fielding-wise, her mechanics are very, very good."

Mountain View ends a 10-day break with its home game tomorrow against Liberty.

Extra Points

By Paul Tenorio and Matt Brooks