Looking back a year ago in late May, the Gloucester High School varsity softball team was on track to reach the 2019 state tournament.

The 2019 Dukes earned the Division 5 Eastern Region first seed with a 19-1 regular season. On the last Saturday morning in May, the Dukes opened the Eastern Region first round against the Bethel Bruins.

The Dukes scored six runs in the first inning with five of the funs coming from the long ball. Emma West hit a three-run home run over the left field fence while Makenna Keyes would follow two batters later with her own two-run shot to center field. Courtney Hall added a solo shot to left field in the fifth inning. Gloucester would go on to win 10-0.
Bridget Motley and Keyes each had three RBI on two hits while Mackenzie Smith twirled a no-hitter at the Bruins, striking out 10 and walking one in five innings of work.

On Memorial Day 2019, Gloucester would face perennial power Hickory Hawks. The Dukes would put runners in scoring position in the second, third and fourth innings, but came up empty each time in the scoreless contest.

Smith was in complete control until running into trouble in the third inning. She struck out the leadoff hitter but gave up a single to center field and two bunt-singles to load the bases. The hard-throwing Smith wiggled out of trouble with in infield popup for the second out and a come-backer to the mound to end the inning.

The Dukes broke through in the fifth inning as Motley doubled down the left field line and came around to score on a one-out single to center field from Laura Tobin to make it 1-0.

In the sixth inning, Gloucester pushed to lead to 2-0 as West singled with one out and advanced to second of a sacrifice bunt from Andi Booker. West then came around to score on a two-out infield single from Keyes.

Smith ran into trouble in the seventh inning as the Hawks put runners on the corners after two strikeouts. Smith struck out the number nine hitter, the last of her 10 strikeouts, to secure a trip to the 2019 state tournament.
Gloucester ended its state tournament run with a 21-3 record, falling in the first round by a 1-0 margin to Glen Allen. The Dukes’ effort was led by seniors Kirsten Greene, Motley, West and Hall. Greene currently plays for Norfolk State while West and Hall are playing at Eastern Mennonite University. Motley attends Virginia Tech.