The Caroline High School softball team has been on quite a roll over the past week, and it’s taken the Cavaliers into unfamiliar, yet historic territory.
Even political candidates and local officials are noticing. Nicole Cole, the Democratic candidate for House District 66, participated in a field cleanup on Saturday to get the grounds prepared for Monday’s 6 p.m. Class 4 state quarterfinal matchup with Region 4A runner-up Warhill (17-6).
A school board meeting scheduled for Monday will start but then recess until Wednesday so that board members can attend the contest.
The Cavaliers are in this position after defeating Battlefield District rival King George 3-2 on the road this past Thursday to win the Region 4B championship for the first time in program history.
Two days before that, Caroline dispatched Patrick Henry-Ashland by the exact same score, also on the road, to clinch a state tournament berth for the first time ever.
“The feeling is something you can’t describe,” head coach Greg Trainum said. “When the last out in the [regional championship] was made, the feeling of euphoria hit. To watch those young ladies be so excited made my whole year.”
Seventh-seeded Caroline (17-5) has combined stellar pitching and timely offense during its unprecedented run, which has included road wins at three of the region’s top four seeds.
Junior pitcher Jaidyn Tingen hurled her third complete-game in a row during the victory at fellow state qualifier King George (17-6), holding the Foxes, who will visit undefeated Gloucester (23-0) Tuesday at 5 p.m., to two runs on four hits while striking out nine and walking three.
Tingen was every bit as stingy against third-seeded Patrick Henry (15-5), surrendering a pair of runs on three hits with eight strikeouts and two free passes.
In Monday’s 6-1 regional quarterfinal win at No. 2 Dinwiddie (13-5), Tingen did not allow an earned run. She did issue six walks, but worked around those effectively while yielding three hits and fanning five.
“It’s more than about just winning for us,” said Tingen, who’s amassed 393 career K’s despite missing nine games during her sophomore campaign. “We are leaving it all on the field and giving every ounce of energy we have for the girl on the field beside us.”
Tingen has led the way for the Cavaliers on the mound and at the plate all season long. She’s pitched 119 out of a possible 134 2/3 innings, going 13-5 with a 1.29 ERA and 172 strikeouts. She’s surrendered just three home runs, and opponents are hitting a meager .163 against her.
Offensively, Tingen leads Caroline with 23 RBIs and is tied for the club lead in home runs with four. She’s also second in batting average (.412), slugging percentage (.750), on-base plus slugging percentage (1.196) and doubles (nine) among players with at least 50 at-bats.
“She has more passion for the game than I have ever seen,” Trainum said. “And she works hard to better herself every day.”
Junior third baseman Jordyn Wilkerson has been on fire at the plate over the past three contests, going 6-for-9 with a pair of doubles, two HRs and seven RBIs. Her grand slam in the third inning at Dinwiddie broke a scoreless tie, and she launched a three-run shot in the first inning to get Caroline rolling at King George.
“It feels amazing to be a part of history,” Wilkerson said. “Especially with this group of girls.”
Wilkerson is tied with Tingen for the club lead in home runs (four) and the second-highest on-base plus slugging percentage (1.196). She’s batting .383, with 20 RBIs, and has committed just two errors on defense all year.
“She’s the best third baseman I’ve seen,” Trainum said. “And once we got into the [regional] tournament, she locked in and became a different player.”
Ava Anderson has been the Cavaliers’ most well-rounded offensive player this season. The sophomore right fielder leads the team in batting average (.419), slugging (.758), on-base plus slugging percentage (1.258), triples (five) and runs scored (28). She’s right behind Tingen and Wilkerson in home runs (two), is second in on-base percentage (.500) and has 16 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.
Senior shortstop Nya Howard is the club leader in on-base percentage (.512), doubles (11) and steals (20). She’s second in batting average (.410) and runs (27) and has 15 RBIs.
Caroline’s five losses have come by a combined six runs, and five victories were by three runs or less. Trainum and his players say that experience in close games prepared them for the state tournament.
“Playing so many tough, close games has taught the girls how to react with the ups and downs,” he said. “Both [assistant coach] Greg Tingen and myself explained to them the experiences we have had when going through the same situations and how we learned to handle these situations when they occurred. So far in the postseason, they’ve risen to the occasion.”
Added Jaidyn Tingen: “The many close games we have played has showed us that you cannot quit and that you can’t hang your head low when something doesn’t go your way. You have to dump it and move on.”
Wildcats, Bears claw their way to states
The Mountain View softball team defeated Hylton 6-0 in the Region 6B title game on Thursday behind a no-hitter by Savannah Ballou.
Ballou, a senior, struck out 11 and walked two for the host Wildcats (16-5). She was aided by a two-run double from Sammie Jo Smith, an RBI double by Mya McLeod, and RBI singles by Charley Torres and Makayla Irwin.
Ballou also hurled a shutout in Mountain View’s 5-0 win over visiting Colgan (16-5) in the region semifinals on Tuesday. She scattered four hits, walked one and racked up 12 strikeouts.
The Wildcats will welcome Region 6A runner-up Glen Allen (14-7) in the Class 6 state quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Riverbend (20-4), which swept Mountain View during the regular season on its way to the Commonwealth District championship, fell 4-0 at Lightridge (21-1) in the Region 5D title game on Thursday. The setback snapped an 18-game winning streak.
In the Bears’ 7-5 regional semifinal victory over visiting Riverside (15-8) on Tuesday, Jameson Snell, Chloe King and Isa Barber drove in two runs apiece.
Riverbend will open the Class 5 state tournament on the road at Region 5C champion Midlothian (21-0) Tuesday at 3 p.m.
Riverbend baseball back in the hunt
The Riverbend baseball team came up short in its attempt to repeat as Region 5D champions, falling 10-0 at Independence (20-2) on Thursday. Nonetheless, the Bears (20-5) will start their state playoff journey at Region 5C champ James River-Midlothian (17-5) on Tuesday.
Riverbend, which won the Commonwealth District title, had won 18 games in a row prior to the setback against Lightridge—just like the school’s softball team.
Luke Alexander pitched six strong innings in the Bears’ 7-3 win over visiting Lightridge (12-10) in Tuesday’s region semifinals. He yielded four hits and two runs (one earned), while striking out 11 and walking two. Caleb Rist hit a double and had three RBIs, and Aiden Zovak went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI.
Spotsy boys soccer surprises
The Spotsylvania boys soccer team entered the Region 4B tourney as the seventh seed. Two upsets later, the Knights are in the state playoffs.
Spotsylvania (12-7-1) upended No. 2 seed Mechanicsville (12-3-1) 4-3 in the regional quarterfinals on May 30, then won 3-1 at sixth-seeded Atlee (12-4-3) on Tuesday to punch its ticket to the Class 4 state tournament.
The Knights were shut out 2-0 on the road at No. 5 Monacan (15-5-1) in Friday’s regional championship tilt.
Spotsylvania will travel to Region 4A champion Jamestown (15-2-1) in the state quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Webb calls it a career
The Chancellor boys soccer team was the top seed in the Region 4B tournament and considered by many to be a state title contender.
However, a 1-0 loss to visiting Monacan in the regional semifinals on Tuesday not only ended the Chargers’ campaign prematurely but brought the career of legendary head coach Mike Webb to a close.
Webb made the decision to retire prior to Chancellor’s season. The only head coach the program has had since the school opened in the fall of 1988 finishes his career with 566 wins (526 at Chancellor and 40 at Courtland).
Webb’s Charger teams won 22 district championships, 12 region crowns and a pair of state titles. They qualified for the state tournament 18 times and finished as state runner-up on four occasions.
