Class 2 Softball QF had one score that was hiding last night….To the internet, we go !

Appomattox 3, Lee 0

Poquoson 1, Central – Woodstock 0

King William 5, Strasburg 4

Richlands 4, Liberty 0

10am & 12:30 pm on Friday at Moyer

The setback for Central means we will have a new champion 🏆. Would it be Class 2 Softball without King William ?

Having both District foes of Page County fall on Tuesday night ( Central & Strasburg ) officially ends the ties 👔 for Page County High School 🏫.

Once again, the season concluded with an Elite Eight spot for the Lady Panthers.

Dejavu all over again, as it’s #5 @ #1 with the #1 seed being the Falcons. Once again, I’m standing next to a ball coach that I’m proud to know ! First Pitch is 6pm at Exit #283

Last night in Abingdon, it was Casey Burcham, and our Burcham Bunch that was trying hard to slay the # Falcons. While I am only six years into knowing Burcham, it would be hard for me to be any more impressed with the way that our Coach handles his business.

Tonight’s 1 vs 5 belongs to Alan Knight, and the Lady Panthers. Coach and I go back some 25 or so years, and the number of win and your In games we have experienced together has to be closing in on 20 or so. Won a few, lost a few, but as is the shorter relationship with Burcham, it’s built on the level of class shown by the Skipper.

Last night 🌙 ended in a 4-2 setback against a 5-time State Championship team, but know that the Burcham Bunch were in it until the final out. Six or seven calls that could have gone either way, and sadly, we went 0-for on the night. But that’s part of the game of baseball / softball. As Tom Hanks taught us, there’s no crying in baseball.

Dennis Zimmerman and Alan Knight

The glass half empty mindset is that Burcham is now 0-2 in the win 🏆 and your In contests. The glass half full says Burcham is 2-0 in getting to that game !!!

If it helps, Knight went 0-9 in those games early on, and once we broke through, we added three State Titles to the four he captured in volleyball 🏐 a lifetime ago.

Two great coaches who are equally impressive men off the diamond 💎 are absolutely on the opposite ends of their careers. Knight is closing in on 50 seasons now, and Burcham just finished his second year.

If you are reading this from the Carroll County side, that’s a wrap on this story. If you are a fan of Softball or you are from Page County, stick around for the game coverage coming shortly.

5:40 – Page County High School is now taking infield practice.

Craig Orndorff (right ) and one of the Falcons assistant coaches. Craig will be handling the radio 📻 broadcast of the game.

73° – First Pitch 5:59

Page County plates a run 🏃‍♀️ in the top of the first without a base hit ! 1-0, heading to the bottom of the first [6:07]

Falcons are retired in order, thanks to solid fielding from PCHS [6:10]

Bizarre ending to the top of the second, double play called on what looked to be an infield fly call. Pitcher dropped 🫳 the ball and then went 1-5-4….

Runner on 3rd with one out and Falcons pop up a bunt, leading to a 1-6 double play to end the second.

Lady Panthers plate another run 🏃‍♀️ in the top of the third inning on two base hits wrapped around a sacrifice bunt. 2-0 after 2 and 1/2 !

Falcons started a two out, nobody on rally, stringing together three base hits to tie the game at 2-2 after 3rd inning.

Page County goes down in order in the top of the fourth… we have reached halftime, tied at 2-2.

Central down in order, on to the top of the 5th, 2-2…

Top 5th, Ava Marshall with a two out single for Page but is stranded. [7:08]

Emily Finks took this pitch and stroked her second RBI single of the game.

After 5, Falcons lead 3-2 [7:14]

Kaylei Shifflet just launched a 2-run bomb 💣 over my head in left center !!!!! Lady Panthers lead 4-3.

In just one swing, Page County went from down to six outs to being 6 outs from winning !!!

7:23 – Middle of the 6th

Falcon pitcher Lexi Burkholder just laced a 2-out, 2-run home run to give the lead back to Central, 5-4.

7:37 – we head to the 7th inning now, down 5-4. Last chance for extending the season….

7:45 – Final Score, Falcons 5-4….

Page County shows minimal rust in moving past Fort Defiance 9-4 in Class 2 Softball Thursday night. Next up is a date with defending champs 🏆, Central – Woodstock

Fort Defiance – Madison Phares took the ball from veteran Head Coach Alan Knight, and the Senior right hander had no intention of giving it back. Her complete game, seven strikeouts, and zero walks effort led the Lady Panthers to the cusp of yet another trip to the State Tournament as Page County rolled to a 9-4 Region quarterfinal victory over #5 seed Fort Defiance on Thursday night.

Page County …. 200 231 1 – 9 13 2

Fort Defiance.. .000 202 0 – 4 5 5

Time of game : 1:59

Cleanup hitter, Kahlei Shifflet led the hot 🔥 hitting offense, collecting three of the 13 base hits. Lilly Mullins ( 2 doubles) joined Shifflet in the Three base knock club. Both Kayla Pence and Danica Turner added two base hits each as Knight watched seven of his nine record at least one hit and six spots score at least one run.

The team started the season off at 0-3 but now sit at 14-6 on the season. The concern for rust stemmed from eight days without taking the field due to Mother Nature. The weather eliminated the entire Bull Run District tournament over the past week.

” We weren’t sure how we would look heading into the game,” said Knight. ” It’s never a good time to go that long without even being able to practice outdoors. “

Central – Woodstock is now set to host Page County on Tuesday night with a trip to the Class 2 State Tournament at stake. The Falcons captured their very first state crown 👑 last season, but they will be playing for the first time in 14 days when the Lady Panthers cross Massanutten Mountain.

Pence reached twice on near perfect bunt attempts, and both times, the Junior came around to score. Turner managed to touch home plate a game high three times, collecting two hits and 2 RBI on the night.

Lori Mongold, Alan Knight, and Brian Hendricks

Phares helped her own cause in the top of the fourth inning by digging out of an 0-2 count and eventually reaching on an infield single that bounced off the third base bag. Caelyn Lucas and Mullins followed with back to back doubles to push the lead from 2-0 out to 4-0.

Tuesday night 🌙 at Central for a ticket 🎟 to State on the line. The 14-3 mark over the past 17 games includes two setbacks at the Falcons home diamond 💎.

Should be must see 👀 TV 📺…