by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
slewis@digitalsports.com
(804) 240-2191
Kaitlyn Cheek didn’t let her second opportunity go.
In the fourth inning, J.R. Tucker’s star hitter struck out on three pitches with a runner on base.
In the top of the sixth inning, the same opportunity presented itself.
“I had just been feeling good all day,” Cheek said. “[Taylor Francisco] got two balls on me and I knew she had to come in to me with a hard pitch. I guessed inside and she gave it to me, so I took advantage.”
The bomb over the left-field fence gave the Tigers a 2-1 victory over Hermitage in the Colonial District softball final Wednesday at RF&P Park.
Tucker’s win earned not only the district trophy, but a date in the Central Region quarterfinals at Lee-Davis, a tall feat for a No. 4 seed.
The Tigers stopped top-seeded Patrick Henry 2-1 in 10 innings a day earlier, and halted the red-hot Panthers to move forward.
Kai-elle Steinruck paced Hermitage, going 2 for 3 with a double, while Francisco struck out six batters.
Haley Harris threw a 3-hitter with no earned runs, and also had two of Tucker’s four hits.
“It took a lot of us,” Harris said. “At the beginning we had some trouble. But then we just came together, had a talk and all came out ready to go.”
J.R. Tucker 000 002 0 – 2 4 3
Hermitage 000 001 0 – 1 3 1
Harris and Wootton; Francisco and Diaz.
Records: J.R. Tucker (15-6); Hermitage (14-8)
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