The East scored four runs in the eighth to pull away and beat the West

Prince George's Caitlen Manning narrowly missed MVP honors. She also had two hits and walked once.

Tiffany Harris scored the West's first run and brought a spark off of the bench with her vocal leadership.

by Seneca Contomanolis
DigitalSports Richmond
scontomanolis@digitalsports.com

NEWPORT NEWS --- The Virginia High School Coaches Association girls softball all-star game went from a nail bitter to a blowout in minutes.

Leading 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning the East scored four runs to secure a 6-1 victory over the West at Christopher Newport University on Thursday.

"In the eighth it all came together," Hanover's Courtney Long said. "We got a lot of hits and we ran the bases well."

Monacan outfielder Brianna Bertovich wasn't even scheduled to play in the game as she was an alternate.

But a player dropped out opening the door for Bertovich to claim the East's Most Valuable Player award by going 2 for 2 with two runs scored.

"I am very excited," said the Virginia Wesleyan-bound Bertovich. "I am glad someone got knocked out so I could play."

The pitching for the East was phenomenal as three hurlers combined to give up only three hits and one unearned run.

Cosby's Whitney Haller, Middlesex's Janie Holmes and Gloucester's Stephanie Coates worked three innings each and allowed only one hit apiece.

Haller is headed to Longwood University, Holmes to Roanoke College and Coates to the University of Virginia.

Brittany Davidson (Fort Davidson) was named the West's MVP as she drove in the team's only run with an RBI single in the fifth. She will attend Lenoir Rhyne College.

"This is a huge honor," Davidson said. "I never would have thought I would get MVP. There were a lot of great players out here that deserved it."

Six of the East's 11 hits came in the eighth. A sac fly by Jordan Beadles (Monacan) scored the first of the four runs in the inning.

A sharp grounder that the West's second baseman couldn't handle pushed across another.

Then back-to-back RBI singles by Gretna's Teresa Dalton and Liberty's Casey Bartholomew drove in the last two.

The East got their first two runs in the second inning when an error on a pop up allowed Halifax's Lashunda Davis (two hits) to score from second base and Parkview's Emily Garcia's RBI single scored Bertovich.

Prince George's Caitlen Manning (James Madison) added two hits for the East.

Emily Atkinson (Tunstall) and Abigail Rexrode (James River) both had a hit for the West.

West 000 010 000 - 1 3 5
East 020 000 04x - 6 11 3
Buckley, Rexrode (5) and Lechler, Atkinson (5); Haller, Holmes (4), Coates (7) and Long, Bauer(5)

Softball Goes To East

The East scored four runs in the eighth to pull away and beat the West in the VHSCA softball all-star game at Christopher Newport University.

Published: 07/03/2008

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Softball Goes To East The East scored four runs in the eighth to pull away and beat the West in the VHSCA softball all-star game at Christopher Newport University. Published: 07/03/2008 Prince George's Caitlen Manning narrowly missed MVP honors. She also had two hits and walked once. Tiffany Harris scored the West's first run and brought a spark off of the bench with her vocal leadership. by Seneca Contomanolis DigitalSports Richmond scontomanolis@digitalsports.com Click here for entire photo gallery! NEWPORT NEWS --- The Virginia High School Coaches Association girls softball all-star game went from a nail bitter to a blowout in minutes. Leading 2-1 in the bottom of the eighth inning the East scored four runs to secure a 6-1 victory over the West at Christopher Newport University on Thursday. "In the eighth it all came together," Hanover's Courtney Long said. "We got a lot of hits and we ran the bases well." Monacan outfielder Brianna Bertovich wasn't even scheduled to play in the game as she was an alternate. But a player dropped out opening the door for Bertovich to claim the East's Most Valuable Player award by going 2 for 2 with two runs scored. "I am very excited," said the Virginia Wesleyan-bound Bertovich. "I am glad someone got knocked out so I could play." The pitching for the East was phenomenal as three hurlers combined to give up only three hits and one unearned run. Cosby's Whitney Haller, Middlesex's Janie Holmes and Gloucester's Stephanie Coates worked three innings each and allowed only one hit apiece. Haller is headed to Longwood University, Holmes to Roanoke College and Coates to the University of Virginia. Brittany Davidson (Fort Davidson) was named the West's MVP as she drove in the team's only run with an RBI single in the fifth. She will attend Lenoir Rhyne College. "This is a huge honor," Davidson said. "I never would have thought I would get MVP. There were a lot of great players out here that deserved it." Six of the East's 11 hits came in the eighth. A sac fly by Jordan Beadles (Monacan) scored the first of the four runs in the inning. A sharp grounder that the West's second baseman couldn't handle pushed across another. Then back-to-back RBI singles by Gretna's Teresa Dalton and Liberty's Casey Bartholomew drove in the last two. The East got their first two runs in the second inning when an error on a pop up allowed Halifax's Lashunda Davis (two hits) to score from second base and Parkview's Emily Garcia's RBI single scored Bertovich. Prince George's Caitlen Manning (James Madison) added two hits for the East. Emily Atkinson (Tunstall) and Abigail Rexrode (James River) both had a hit for the West. West 000 010 000 - 1 3 5 East 020 000 04x - 6 11 3 Buckley, Rexrode (5) and Lechler, Atkinson (5); Haller, Holmes (4), Coates (7) and Long, Bauer(5)
PHOTOS (click here for all photos)