SOFTBALL BLANKS LOUDOUN COUNTY, ADVANCES TO SECOND STRAIGHT DULLES TOURNEY FINAL

Date Posted: May 25, 2010
Game Date: May 25, 2010

Score:
FALCONS: 3
LOUDOUN COUNTY HIGH: 0

Sophomore Macy Jones tossed a one-hitter with a school-record 18 strikeouts and also drove in the winning run in a three-run sixth inning as top-seeded Briar Woods blanked fifth-seeded Loudoun County 3-0 in the Dulles District Tournament semifinals Tuesday in Ashburn.

The victory sends the Falcons (18-2) into the district championship game against third-seeded Park View Thursday at 7 p.m. at Freedom High School in South Riding. The Patriots advanced with a 7-1 thumping of second-seeded Broad Run in Tuesday's other semifinal contest.

Briar Woods and Park View also met in last year's championship tilt, with the Falcons claiming a hard-fought 4-3 win to earn a regional bid. Both squads have already earned berths to this year's region tournament; Briar Woods captured the No. 2 seed after winning the Dulles District regular-season crown, while Park View claimed the district's other region spot with its semifinal win over Broad Run.

Tuesday night's game with Loudoun County proved to be a true pitcher's duel as Jones and Raider freshman Kiley Jacobus matched each other through five scoreless innings.

Jones retired the first 13 Raiders she faced -- including 12 via strikeout, while Jacobus only allowed two-out singles in the second and third. Jones walked to lead off the fourth and moved to second on a sacrifice by junior Kasey Ball, but Jacobus ended the threat with a pair of fly outs.

Loudoun County got its lone hit of the evening with one out in the fifth, but Jones struck out the next two batters to avoid trouble.

The Falcons finally broke through against Jacobus in the bottom of the sixth. Senior Holly Dominguez beat out a single to short to open the frame, and junior Kristina Karagiorgis moved Dominguez to second with a sacrifice bunt. Jones then dumped a single into left field to plate Dominguez with the game's first run, with Jones moving to second on an outfield error on the play.

Senior Kate Fowler then followed with a grounder to short that was misplayed. Jones raced to third on the error and continued home, and the throw to the plate was high and allowed Fowler to advance to second. Fowler then took third on a passed ball and later scored on a ground out by Ball.

Jones fanned the first two Raider hitters to start the seventh and closed out the game with a ground out to third.

Dominguez finished 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Jones went 1-for-2 with a single, a walk, a run scored and an RBI. Olson went 1-for-2 with a single and was also hit by a pitch.

Jacobus was strong in defeat for the Raiders, allowing four hits and one earned run while striking out five.