News and Record

HAYMARKET - The sizzling Halifax County High School varsity softball team shaded Battlefield, 1-0, yesterday to advance to the Group AAA state tournament. HCHS emerged from another stiff psychological test and improved to a stellar 21-3. The Comets are in the state's 'Elite Eight', after getting a pivotal offensive lift from Lashunda Davis and pitcher Paige Rickman. The Comets advanced to the Group AAA state tournament playoffs for the first time since Melanie Saunders took the reins of the program. The Comets meet the winner of last night's Franklin County-Osbourn game in the regional finals tomorrow. Both regional finalists advance to the state. Rickman, who has had a remarkable postseason on the mound, sealed the deal in the bottom of the seventh, but not without some nerve-wrecking moments. Rickman got the first out on a popout, but Megan Sutphin reached with one out on a single to right, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate. Rickman worked the count to 1-2 on the next Battlefield batter, and then Davis gloved a tricky short pop to leftfield. Davis had to make the catch with her back to the infield. Davis then sealed the win with a nifty catch of a fly ball for the final out, setting off a frenzied Comet celebration. "We're playing from heart, and that's all we're going from right now. We're just playing as deep down as we can in our heart, and see how far we can go. "This is very sweet on Friday to try and win this region, but to go to state is really awesome," said Saunders. Davis got the Comets on the board first, ripping an inside-the-park homer in the second inning. The Battlefield leftfielder stumbled on the play, allowing Davis to scramble around the bases.
"I had no idea it was going to be a home run. I rounded first, and I saw she had missed it, and I just took off. I thought she was going to catch it, but she didn't and I just took off, and I'm glad I made it home," said Davis, who was credited with a double and scored on an error. Halifax fanned ten times.
HCHS finished with just three hits yesterday, but the key play from the Comet shortstop was enough. But the Comets also played solid defense again in posting their third straight shutout. Rickman, meanwhile, rolled through the Bobcats in the bottom of the fifth, in one-two-three fashion. Comet catcher Betty Rose made a defensive web gem in the bottom of the sixth, snaring a pop-up for the first out of the sixth. Battlefield's Kaitlyn Sileo singled to short right, but Rickman got Courtney Liddle to fan swinging for the second out.
Comet first baseman Emily New made a terrific stab to snag the final out of the sixth, as Courtney Liddle was retired. HCHS was just three outs away.
In the top of the seventh, Davis walked and Key Ferrell laid down a sacrifice bunt to push Davis to second. But the Comets could not get Davis home.
Nevertheless, Halifax had enough offense. Rickman said afterwards, "I was a bit nervous throughout the game. I was scared they were going to come back…
"We did get a run (from Davis, early), and helped me out a little bit. I was a bit nervous the whole game," said Rickman. Rickman now reaches the state as a sophomore. "I felt pretty good doing it as a sophomore," said Rickman. She said momentum has been with her through the playoffs. Saunders said Rickman "is on her A game right now, good ball movement. "It was hot, this was a whole lot hotter than it was Monday. She was able to go through and pull through for us. She's on right now." Battlefield finished with five hits, including two in the second when the Bobcats stranded two runners. Rickman fanned five Battlefield hitters. "The defense was behind her the whole time," said Saunders, who noted Battlefield got solid pitching as well. "We were able to get that run (in the second inning). That was enough, and Paige was able to keep them off balance a little bit at the plate and hold them down for us," said Saunders.
HCHS, with some young players in key positions, is finally over the hump heading to the state tournament next week, with a regional championship game on tap for tomorrow.