After a shaky start, the young Mathews High School softball team showed steady improvement throughout the season, and it took eight innings in Friday’s regional quarterfinal game to put an end to the Lady Devils’ hopes to repeat as state champions.

Mathews crushed Surry last Wednesday, 18-0, to open the regional tournament. On Friday, the season came to an end as Rappahannock broke a 5-5 tie in the bottom of the eighth to win, 6-5, and advance to the regional semifinals. With the loss, the season came to an end for the three freshmen, three sophomores, five juniors and one senior who comprised this year’s Lady Devil team.

The Lady Devils ended the year with a 6-12 record, with many of those wins coming late in the season.

Surry

Mathews picked up an easy win to start post-season play, dominating the Cougars at Surry, 18-0. Madisyn Jackson pitched the first four innings, striking out four and allowing only two hits. Ellie Armistead came into the circle in the fifth ...