Chesapeake softball falls to Sherwood, 7-2, in Class 3A semifinal clash of state blue bloods

In a Class 3A state semifinal matchup between a pair of softball programs with a ton of pedigree — 15 state titles between the two — it was the Sherwood Warriors who earned a chance to add to that pedigree, defeating the Chesapeake Cougars, 7-2.

The Warriors played error-free defense behind junior pitcher Reagan Corb, who twirled a complete game, striking out three and scattering seven hits. She surrendered just one run each in the final two innings.

“She has stepped up from the beginning of the season,” Sherwood coach Ashley Strunk said. “Ever since playoffs started, she’s stepped up, hitting her spots, doing everything she needs to do right in the circle”

Offensively, Sherwood (20-1) had 11 hits, four coming from junior shortstop Keira Schultz, who knocked in three runs. Corb helped her own cause with a pair of RBIs, while junior first baseman Jenna Scott and sophomore catcher Faith Goolsby each drove in a run as well.

Seniors Rylee Hyde and Ava Cischetti led the Cougars with two hits apiece.

A day after their bats helped them escape a state quarterfinal in which they made two errors, the defensive miscues caught up to the Cougars on Tuesday. In both the second and third innings, Sherwood’s leadoff batter reached via error, and both times they came around to score. Those errors came after a first inning in which the Cougars loaded the bases with just one out but grounded into a double play to end the threat.

In the second, Sherwood left fielder Rylie Friend reached on a two-base error, and Scott wasted no time taking advantage. She drilled the first pitch she saw into right-center for a run-scoring single. An inning later, Sherwood’s Avery Anderson reached second on a throwing error and Schulz ripped a single up the middle for a 2-0 lead.

Schulz then put on a base running masterclass, advancing to second on a flyout to center field and getting to third on a ball in the dirt that barely rolled a foot in front of the plate. That set up Schulz to score on Goolsby’s infield single, staking the Cougars to a 3-0 advantage.

“Our biggest focus is focusing on the little things, making sure we do the little things right,” Strunk said. “Knowing the count, knowing the situation, and in the batter’s box, making sure we put the ball in play and avoid strikeouts and pop ups.”

Sherwood tacked on another pair in the fourth inning, sparked by a two-out rally that started with the nine-hole hitter, Neha Sufi, notching a single. After a walk, Schultz and Corb each brought home a run with singles, extending the lead to 5-0.

However, Chesapeake (17-4) didn’t go away and applied the pressure with the top of its order in the sixth. First, Hyde singled, and later, Cischetti blasted a double off the left field fence. Senior Kasey Slade drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 5-1.

“We didn’t hang our heads,” Chesapeake coach Brittany Owen said. “We came out here and fought every inning.”

Unfortunately for the third-seeded Cougars, Sherwood didn’t make the comeback easy, answering Chesapeake’s run with two more of its own. Once again, Schulz was at the heart of the offensive effort, this time sending a RBI triple all the way to the fence in right field, then scoring on a single by Corb. Schulz’s 4-for-4 night led all hitters and she finished just a home run shy of the cycle.

“She is amazing. Her contact is on-point,” Strunk said. “The biggest thing with Keira is her contact, and she always hits the ball hard and it’s just about finding those holes.”

Down 7-1, Chesapeake showed fight in the final frame, with sophomore Allison Schaefer driving in the Cougars’ second run with two outs. However, Sufi made a great play on an ensuing bunt attempt, charging and firing a strike from across the diamond to record the final out and send Sherwood to the championship game, where they’ll aim for their eighth state title Friday evening.

For Chesapeake, its senior-laden roster played its final game of the season, but the Cougars will return key pieces in the hopes of making another run next season.

“This senior class was an awesome class to coach. They will be missed. They were a huge part of this program for all four years,” Owen said. “Hopefully we can learn from this season and come back next year and be in this same spot and get to states.”