Big 6th inning gives Dragons a win

With the end of the regular season in sight, the William Monroe softball team hoped to end it on a good note with a string of wins - and a chance to gain some much needed momentum heading into the Jefferson District tournament.
On Tuesday, May 12, the Lady Dragons hosted the Monticello Mustangs in what was supposed to be their last regular season game. But due to rain, they had to face Fluvanna on Wednesday before the first-round district game on Friday.
Hits were at a bare minimum against the Mustangs, with both pitchers on their game. WMHS junior Taylor Collier took the mound for the Dragons and was quite impressive.
"Taylor pitched well for us tonight; she matched a very good Victoria Scott pitch for pitch," said coach Chad Roach.
Collier had a no-hitter heading into her fifth inning of work until Monticello finally broke through with several hits and the first run of the game. A one-out single followed by a two-out double got the Mustangs on the board first in the fifth inning.
The name of the game for Monroe in this one was bunting. "We have been struggling all year hitting the ball, so we wanted to make sure we just put the ball in play and made their defense work, " said Roach.
The Dragons' strategy proved to be a good one in the bottom of the sixth inning, with the Dragons able to bring home three runs to take the lead. Several bunt singles by Kacey Thomas and Jessica Morris, along with a bunt fielder's choice by Melanie Lamb, gave Monroe all the runs it would need.
Monticello was unable to get any hits or runs in the top of the second, giving the Dragons a big win by a final score of 3-1.
Leading Monroe in this game was Morris with two hits and an RBI; Lamb added a hit with two RBI's and Samantha Lawson had a hit.
The Lady Dragons also faced Fluvanna both in Wednesday night's game and again on Friday night in the first round of the Jefferson District. After the team's win on Wednesday night, Monroe got the third seed overall in the tournament-- thanks to finishing 8-4 in district play during the regular season.
On Friday Monroe once again beat the Flucos in the first round of the tournament and advanced to a very important game on Tuesday May 19 with a regional birth on the line.
(At Record press time on Tuesday, the teams were still preparing to meet.)
With a win on the 19th -- and if Orange wins out on their side of the bracket -- then the Lady Dragons will play in a regional game after the district championship game.
When this season finally does come to an end, Monroe will bid farewell to seven seniors. Brittnee Conley, Jessica Morris, Lauren Thompson, Bethany Leake, Kate Puryear, Melanie Lamb and Samantha Lawson will all be starting the next faze of their lives.
But until then, it's business as usual as Monroe looks to play well into the district tournament and regional tournament.