The Rockbridge County High School softball team saw its season conclude with a 2-0 road loss to Shenandoah District rival Alleghany in the first round of the Region 3C tournament on Wednesday evening in Covington.
The Wildcats finished the year at 10-10 overall and 7-9 in the district, while Alleghany (14-6 overall, 10-5 district) advanced to a Region 3C quarterfinal game at Western Albemarle on Saturday.
The Cougars, who had beaten RC in both regular-season meetings, took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Ava Howard singled on a fly ball to center field to bring home Emma Skidmore. Alleghany scored its other run in the third when Paige Webb ran home on a groundout by Brooklyn Taylor.
Webb and Kaylee Nicely led the Cougars with two hits each, while Willow Rogers paced the Wildcats with two hits.
RC committed two errors, while Alleghany had one.
On the mound for Alleghany, Skidmore pitched a complete game shutout, striking out five while allowing five hits and one walk.
For the Wildcats, senior Sadie Moore pitched a complete game to wrap up her record-setting career, striking out seven while surrendering seven hits, no walks and two runs (one earned). Moore finished the spring with 174 strikeouts, a single-season program record. For her career, Moore threw 421 strikeouts, also a program record. She’ll continue her academic and softball career at Division III school Roanoke College.
The Wildcats will miss Moore, Rogers and their four other seniors: Brooklyn Beverly, Landrey Campbell, Bella Dorey and Page Wright.
The season wrap-up story for the Wildcats, who are under the direction of seventh-year head coach Keston Pelter, will be in our June 3 newspaper.
