Softball: Broad Run Clinches Regional Bid, Kate Sims Homers on Night Honoring Her Late Mother

By Bob Pugh
Special to VivaLoudoun

Ashburn (May 24, 2011) - Many of those in attendance wore pink at Broad Run High School’s Friday Dulles District quarterfinal softball game against Dominion on a night honoring Kitty Sims, who passed away recently after a long fight against cancer. It was a special night, not only for those from Broad Run softball but also for the youth players in attendance from the local Ashburn Girls Softball League (AGSL), who helped honor someone who had been a member of our softball community for many years.

 The Spartans were leading by the score of 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning when junior Kate Sims belted a two-run home run to left center field, a shot that electrified the crowd on an evening honoring her mother.

Spartans Erika D’Argenio and Dani Cook each scored in the bottom of the first inning after reaching on Titan errors, with McKall Miller getting credit for an RBI.

In the top of the third inning with runners on second and third and only one out, a good defensive play by Spartan second baseman Jennie Himler prevented a run when she threw a grounded ball home to beat the runner from third base. The Titans narrowed the gap to 2-1 though as Paige Barger was able to score from third when a pitch got past the catcher and went to the backstop.

Following Sim’s second home run of the year in the fourth inning, Jenny Kramer doubled to left center, pinch runner Francesca Beller stole third, and Holly Vizek then hit a sacrifice fly to center field to make the score 5-1.

With one out in the fifth inning Broad Run struck again. A single by D’Argenio was followed by back-to-back doubles by Cook and Miller, the latter scoring two runs. Maggie Betz hit a two-out double to left field to score Miller pushing the score to 8-1.

The Titans, who had been threatening with base hits and runners in every inning, loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the sixth inning. The scoring threat was temporarily halted as Miller caught a fly ball in right field and threw home, beating the tagging runner by ten feet for a double play. Dominion’s Brittney Gasser then doubled to score April Reed for the Titan’s second run. In the top of the seventh inning, with two out and runners on first and second, Reed singled to center field where Sims fielded the ball and threw home for an outfield assist on the game’s final out.

Ashley Ferrara picked up the complete game victory.

After the game a brief moment of silence for Kitty was followed by two dozen young softball players from the AGSL releasing pink balloons into the air from behind home plate.

Broad Run travels to Woodgrove tonight for a district semifinal. Briar Woods hosts Loudoun County in the other match-up.

Briar Woods 5, Tuscarora 2
Special to VivaLoudoun
By Chris Starke

Briar Woods scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to snap a 1-1 tie en route to a 5-2 win over upset-minded Tuscarora in the quarterfinals of the Dulles District Tournament Friday in Ashburn.

The top-seeded Falcons, who won their 11th straight game to improve to 18-3 overall, will host fifth-seeded Loudoun County in the district semifinals on Tuesday at 6 p.m. Loudoun County knocked off fourth-seeded Potomac Falls 3-2 in nine innings in quarterfinal action Friday.

In other quarterfinal games Friday, second-seeded Woodgrove defeated seventh-seeded Park View 8-0, and third-seeded Broad Run downed sixth-seeded Dominion 8-2. Woodgrove will host Broad Run in Tuesday’s other Dulles District semifinal.

After sweeping Tuscarora by a combined 22-0 during the regular season, the Falcons got all they could handle from a pesky Husky squad in Friday’s quarterfinal round.

Falcon junior Macy Jones retired the first six Tuscarora hitters in order, including five by strikeout, but the Huskies used three hits and a passed ball to scratch across a run in the top of the third. The visitors had runners at second and third with one out, but Jones used a ground out and soft line out to limit the damage.

Tuscarora hurler Ally Kuhn held a potent Falcon offense in check for the first three innings, allowing a leadoff walk in the second and a one-out infield single in the third before the Falcons finally got on the board in the fourth.

Senior Kristina Karagiorgis drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a wild pitch, and fellow senior Kasey Ball followed with a double to tie the game at 1-1. Kuhn worked out of the inning with a pair of groundouts.

After Jones set down the Huskies in order in the fifth, the Falcons looked to pull in front in the bottom of the inning. Freshman Caroline Fowler opened with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice by senior Alex Fierszt, but Kuhn once again got out of trouble, getting a pair of fly outs to end the inning.

Tuscarora had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the top of the sixth, loading the bases with one out. However, Jones induced a 1-2-3 (pitcher-catcher-first) double play to work out of the jam.

The solid defensive play helped spark the Falcons in the bottom of the frame, as Briar Woods plated four runs to open a 5-1 advantage. Jones got things started with a double, and Karagiorgis followed with another double to drive in Jones and put the Falcons in front for good.

After a flyout, sophomore Lynn Brantley reached on a fielder’s choice, and following a strikeout, Fowler walked to load the bases. Fierszt then delivered a bases-clearing double off the fence to give the Falcons some breathing room.

The Huskies refused to go quietly in the seventh, scoring another run behind three singles and a hit batter. Jones closed out the game with a bases-loaded strikeout.

Jones finished with 12 strikeouts, increasing her school single-season record total to 253.

Fierszt went 2-for-3 with a single, a double, three RBIs and a sacrifice bunt, while Karagiorgis had an RBI-double, walked twice and scored twice.

Loudoun County 3, Potomac Falls 2 (9)
In a districit tournament opener, No. 5 seed Loudoun County defeated the No. 4 seed Potomac Falls Panthers 3-2 in 9 innings. It was a pitchers dual to say the least, with Kiley Jacobus (9 innings, 5 strikeouts, 3 walks, 2 runs) recieving the win for the Raiders.

Freshmen Courtney Amos ( 2-4, run, 2 2b, 2, rbis) led the Raiders offense going 2-4 with a double early in the game that would lead to her scoring the first run and a double in the 9th scoring two runs. Also, contributing to the Raiders offfense was Kiley Jacobus (1-3, rbi), Renay Aubel (1-3, hbp), Kelley Duerbeck (2-3, 2 2b, bb) and Cortni Reitz (1-3, sac).