The Gloucester High School varsity softball team picked up wins against Lafayette, Tabb and Smithfield over the past week, including one shutout victory.
The Lady Dukes defeated Lafayette, 28-1, last Wednesday, May 13, on the road. Gloucester took a quick 9-0 lead over the Rams after only two innings. Autumn Cookson pitched three shutout innings, striking out seven batters and walking one. Harper Hardaway pitched the last two innings to the seal win.
Tessa Carteret led the offense with four hits for six at-bats, which included a double, a home run and six RBIs. Cookson also had four hits, amounting to a triple and five RBIs. Cameron Palas also added a double, a home run and four RBIs. Hannah Horsley, Winnie Carlton, Alexis Dishman and Maddie Thorson each contributed two hits each in the win.
Gloucester hosted Tabb Friday night to defeat the Tigers, 10-0. Cookson threw a no-hitter, striking out 14 batters in the shortened six-inning game.
The match was scoreless until the third inning when Kyndall Sales and Hardaway hit back-to-back singles. Two outs later and with the bases loaded, Cameron Palas hit a triple to right field for a 3-0 lead. An RBI single by Sales pushed the lead in 4-0 in the fourth inning. A long solo home run by Tessa Carteret and an RBI single by Carlton in the fifth inning further extended the gap to 6-0.
The Lady Dukes stretched the lead to 10-0 with RBIs by Cookson and Carlton and two RBI singles hit by Carteret. Sales and Palas had three hits apiece, while Carteret added two in the win.
Gloucester hosted Smithfield Monday night to defeat the Packers, 8-1. Cookson pitched five innings, while Hardaway threw two shutout innings to complete the game.
In the top of the first, Smithfield led the game off with a triple but could not score as Cookson recorded back-to-back strikeouts. The Lady Dukes scooped up a weak ground ball for the inning’s third out.
Cookson and Carteret led off hitting with singles. Palas scored in Cookson by hitting a double. In the fourth inning, Gloucester increased the lead to 5-0 on an RBI single from Cookson and a sacrifice fly from Palas. The Lady Dukes broke the game open with three runs in the sixth inning on RBIs from Cookson, Palas and Carlton. Palas and Cookson led the offense with two hits and three RBIs each, while Carteret and Hardaway each contributed two hits apiece.
Gloucester is expected to play in the first round of regionals next Thursday, May 28, at Stoney Run Athletic Complex in Newport News. The game is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.