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Chris Burke: Playoff loss left Devilettes stunned
MANASSAS — At another point of the season, in some random regular season game, you might have chalked the play up as harmless. No big deal.Not in the playoffs.
With two down in the first inning of Wednesday's Cedar Run softball quarterfinal between CCHS and Loudoun Valley, Nichole Beall struck out Hailey Tretick.
Except her third strike landed in the dirt, just eluding catcher Sam May's glove. So May scooped up the ball, and tossed to first base — just slightly wide right — and that toss ricocheted off Sarah Campbell's mitt, allowing Tretick to reach safely.
Two good attempts by the Devilettes, and two near misses.
Harmless.
Until Valley's next batter, Caroline Williams, bombed a double deep to left center, scoring Tretick and Brittany Latka. That shot made it 2-0 Valley.
Culpeper would never completely recover.
Harmless?
"I think the first inning put us down a little bit too low and it was hard getting back up," Culpeper coach Janice Gillespie after Valley clinched a 3-2 victory, and after several minutes of tearful embraces with her players.
For whatever reason, those small miscues, those bad bounces, always loom large in the postseason.
Truth is that there are no harmless plays in the playoffs.
The dropped third strike turned into a two-run deficit. A Valley home run the next inning made it 3-0.
Suddenly Culpeper, with its dreams of a regional berth and a state title run, was facing the season's end.
"That (first inning play) more of a killer than the home run. Personally, I think so," Michelle Beall said. "I think the team agrees because, not just the fact that they scored two, but the fact that it was so early."
The Devilettes fought back from both the two-run first, and the second inning jack.
They even had a sensational chance to tie or take the lead in the fifth inning.
CCHS closed within 3-2, and had the bases loaded with one out when Anna Klumpp stepped in.
Klumpp hit a little blooper to second base. At first glance, it appeared Valley would have no choice but to let Culpeper score a run in exchange for the second of the inning.
It looked harmless.
But, in the postseason, well ... you know.
Valley second baseman Perrin Raudabaugh let the ball bounce in front of her, tagged out Nichole Beall running from first to second, then threw Klumpp out to complete the double play.
Culpeper never threatened again.
"I told Anna that I wanted her to hit it hard on the ground or to hit a long fly, and she's usually good at doing the things that I ask her to do," Gillespie said. "Unfortunately, it was hit right to the second baseman and they got the double play."
The team was stunned when the game ended.
Third place in the district for the regular season. Third place in the district for the postseason.
This was how it ended?
On a third strike in the dirt and a funky double play?
"I know everybody's proud of the season we had, but the team wanted to go so much farther," Michelle Beall said. "We're ashamed that we didn't, we're better than this team.
"We should have won."
Athletes and coaches everywhere will tell you that, while it helps to have a talented team, playoff games often come down to a break here or a stroke of luck there.
Culpeper got neither of those things last Wednesday.
Three times, Nicole Beall struck out batters on balls that hit the dirt.
Twice, May connected with Campbell for an easy putout at first.
Once, she did not.
Come playoff time, one miscue is all it takes.
"We really believed that we were going to regionals, and I think that's what is so hard to swallow," Gillespie said.
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