SoCo Softball One Win Away from Northern Region Finals

The excitement generated by South County softball's late season surge will continue. After catching fire late this month, the Stallions have rattled off five consecutive wins, surprising even the team’s most ardent fans.

South County (17-7)  continued its post-season march Monday afternoon, defeating Chantilly (15-7) 5-4 in Northern Region Quarterfinal action at Falls Church High School.

“It’s just unbelievable to me. I know I’ve said it a lot, but starting five freshmen and being able to get to the regional semifinals is just way above and beyond anything we could have hoped for at the beginning of the year,” said South County skipper Gary Dillow.

Despite his team’s youth, Dillow’s Stallions have put themselves just two games away from capturing the school’s second Northern Region Title in three years.

Chantilly entered Monday’s game coming off of their most dominant game of the season. The Chargers defeated Mount Vernon 19-1 in the Northern Region tournament’s first round on Friday, May 27.

As she has been counted on to do against many teams this season, South County pitcher Rebecca Martin was charged with the task of cooling down Chantilly’s bats. And for most of the game, Martin did just that.

The Stallions took the early lead with runs in the second and third innings. But they only led 2-0 until the fifth inning, when their bats, much like the weather, heated up.

Senior captain, Julia Kastner, kick started the bottom of the fifth inning with a perfectly placed single to short center. With Haylea Geer at bat, Kastner easily stole second base. Geer joined Kastner on base but was replaced by courtesy runner Kaylee Hemming.

With Caitlin Maglich at the plate, Chantilly pitcher Alexandra Salberg threw her last ball, but not before Kastner and Hemming stole bases. Kastner’s speed sent her from second to home on Salberg’s wild pitch.

Concorde District Coach of the Year, Carmen Wise, then pulled Salberg for pitcher Emily Gembarowicz. Maglich, still at the plate, continued South County’s rally with a triple, which drove Hemming home. A well executed bunt by Brittnee Haynes brought in Maglich, and gave South County a 5-0 lead, which held until the seventh inning.

Martin, the freshman hurler, showed impressive resilience in the game’s final inning as South County’s five-run lead was put into jeopardy. After striking out the first batter in the top of the seventh, Martin and South County allowed four Chantilly runs, making the score 5-4.

With two outs and the go-ahead Chantilly run on base, Martin bore down and delivered the winning strike, seemingly unfazed by the pressure.

“It was kind of nerve-racking because the tying and winning runs were both on base, but I just took a breath, kept pitching my game, and it worked out,” said Martin.

Martin’s final inning heroics earned her high praise from her head coach.

“She kept her composure, she always does. The kid is unflappable,” remarked Dillow.

With Chantilly behind them, South County will face defending state champion, McLean, on Wednesday in the Northern Region Semifinals at Robinson High School.

“It’s fun to see the way that the girls respond. It’s more than we could have hoped for this year,” said an elated Dillow after Monday’s win.