Region tournament softball will be underway next week, with the first round beginning on Wednesday, May 27. Powhatan softball just wrapped up its regular season in preparation for that next stage, beating the Manchester Lancers 12-2 on Monday to head into regions with a 11-8 record.
The Indians are currently ranked seventh in the Region 4B standings, in front of Atlee (9-7) and behind Courtland (13-8).
Against Manchester, the Indians saw a complete game from senior pitcher Brooklynn Narbut, who struck out four batters with three hits and five walks. Manchester went scoreless in four innings, while Powhatan ended the game by the bottom of the sixth with four runs in that final offensive appearance.
In total, Powhatan had a collectively strong day hitting the ball, connecting on 13 base hits among eight batters, led by three hits from freshman Harlynne Crane and two hits each from fellow freshman Natalie Danburg and junior Aaliyah Myers.
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Crane connected on singles on three of her appearances at home plate, driving in two runners in the process. She was also walked in the bottom of the first, around the same time the Indians got on the board with a score off a passed ball from Skylar White.
On the following at-bat in the opening inning, Myers made it 3-0, drilling an RBI single that got Cassidy Moser home, while Mazie Harmon scored on the throw. After consecutive one-run innings drew Manchester closer with a 3-2 Powhatan lead, the Indians sprinted ahead in the bottom of the third with four runs that came off a 2-RBI Crain single, an Asia Taylor RBI single and a Narbut sprint for home off a wild pitch.
In the fourth, a Manchester error on a Danburg hit made it 8-2, allowing Danburg to make it to second while Payton Murray made it home.
Powhatan shut the door on the game with runs on three straight at-bats in the sixth inning, first with an RBI single from Narbut, then another Manchester error that got Craine and Myers home, before the game came to an end with a Madison Fletcher RBI single where Narbut touched home base to decide the game.
The Indians have now reached double-figures in wins in the last five seasons (2020-21 was a shortened season with just 11 games), and with a strong region tournament, they’ll look to make it to the Class 4 State Tournament after a region quarterfinals exit last year and a string of close semifinals losses.
If the results hold today and Powhatan is the 7-seed of the bracket, they’d be primed to take on the Louisa County Lions, who currently hold the 10th spot in the standings. Louisa (12-9) beat Powhatan 16-2 in their meeting on April 20, a game which ended after the fifth inning. Getting the 7/10 matchup would also mean the winner takes on a 2-seeded opponent with an extra day’s rest, in this case being the Dinwiddie Generals (17-3), who shut out Powhatan 8-0 on April 24.
Robby Fletcher can be reached at rfletcher@powhatantoday.com
