By Duncan Nixon
Correspondent
After a successful 5-1 start to the season the Fluco softball team hosted the Orange County Hornets on April 10. The Hornets came in with a 4-2 record including two shootout wins. The Flucos found themselves up against a Hornets pitcher they could not handle. The Flucos managed only one infield hit in the fourth inning to score a single run for the game. They went up and down in order in all of the other innings.
Meanwhile, Orange County plated one run in the second inning and two runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings for a 7-1 win. The Flucos did have some hard hit balls to the outfield but they were not hit into the gaps and the Orange outfielders did not have any trouble with balls hit right at them.
In the fourth inning, Fluco senior shortstop Jillian Davis led off with a slap hit off the glove of the Hornets third baseman. She promptly stole second base. Sophomore pitcher Lila Schwartz then bunted for a sacrifice and was thrown out at first base. The speedy Davis came all the way around from second and scored. At that point, the Fluco were down 5-1.
The Orange County pitcher faced only one batter over the minimum. She threw hard but was not overpowering as some top softball pitchers are. However, her control was impressive and her change-up confounded the Fluco batters. A game with no walks is rare in high school softball.
Fluco pitchers Schwartz and Amir Belke were not bombed out of the box, but the Hornets had nine hits and four walks. Although they did not have any big innings, the Hornets built their lead steadily and coasted home. Belke and Junior third baseman Natalie Gomez had solid fly balls that backed up the outfielders but were handled for outs.
Although stymied in this game, the Fluco softball team has been impressive so far. After a loss in their first game of the season, the Flucos defeated Waynesboro, Wilson Memorial, Madison County, Charlottesville and Western Albemarle and scored double figures in four of the five wins.
Coach Aime McCall’s squad hosted Waynesboro on April 21, played at Louisa County on April 22, and will be at Goochland County on April 24 and will host Monticello on April 29. At that point, the softball team will be more than halfway through the regular season. The schedule calls for eight games in May, all against Jefferson District opponents. The regular season ends on May 22 with a game at Monticello High.
