LC Softball Stuns Park View in District Semifinals

By: Dan Sousa

Photo by Alysia Deem

Leesburg (May 23, 2007) – The Park View High School softball team came within a play or two of defeating nationally-ranked Broad Run twice this season but the Patriots won’t be headed to regional action this year after Loudoun County pulled off a 4-1 upset Tuesday night in the AA Dulles District semifinals.

The game was scoreless for four innings. LC scored first when courtesy runner Katie Graff came home on a Rochelle Latka RBI single. Amanda Arbogast added to the lead with a two-run double in the sixth after PV had tied the game. The Raiders, the visiting team because of their lower seed even though the game was played on their home field, added an insurance run in the top of the seventh with another RBI by Latka.

Lindsey Holtz picked up the victory on the mound and she was backed by excellent defensive play.

The Raiders actually threatened in the first inning when lead off hitter Latka got on with a single and then stole second base to give the Raiders a runner in scoring position with no outs, but she was stranded on second.

Park View threatened numerous times in the first four innings, leaving multiple runners on base.

In the top of the fifth inning, Holtz reached on a hit and replaced by Graff on base. She then moved to second on a walk to Kristen Gorman. Latka followed with an RBI single.

Park View answered right back by scoring one run in the bottom of the 5th to leave the game tied 1-1 going to the top of the sixth inning.

In the top of the sixth Brittany Gibb singled for the Raiders, and Hope Flanagan walked to put two runners on. Arbogast doubled to score both Gibb and Flanagan, but she was thrown out trying to stretch the play into a triple.

The Raiders then held the Patriots scoreless in the bottom of the sixth, leaving the score at 3-1 going into the final inning.

In the top of the seventh Rachel Wigfield got on with a base knock and then stole second base. Gorman followed with a single, advancing Wigfield to third. Gorman than stole second to put runners at second and third. Latka came to bat and earned another RBI with a hard shot to shortstop, scoring Wigfield.

The Patriots than retired the side leaving the Raiders up 4 – 1 going into the bottom of the seventh. In the bottom of the seventh the Holtz and the Raiders defense retired PV 1-2-3.

For the Raiders, Latka was 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Arbogast was 1-for-3 with two RBIs, Gibb was 2-for-4, and Holtz was 2-for-3.