Few things are better for building confidence and momentum going into a state tournament than a win against a quality opponent.
Kellam got one on Friday, beating Grassfield 2-1 for the Class 6 Region A softball title on Ava McMichael’s walk-off RBI double that scored Carson Griffth from first base in the bottom of the seventh inning with the winning run.
“We knew going into the game that it was going to be tooth-and-nail to the end,” said Knights’ pitching ace Abby Adamek, who threw a four-hitter and struck out eight. “I knew our team would come together, because there’s always someone who comes through.
“It was so exciting to see everyone react to the winning run. It was really special.”
Although the Knights are 22-1 going into their Class 6 state quarterfinal at 5 p.m. on Tuesday at home against Colgan (17-6), from Manassas, Friday’s win was far from their first close call. The Knights own five wins over state tournament participants and three of them were nail-biters.
“Since our very first game (a 2-1 win over Kempsville, which just missed making states), we’ve played tough competition in our region and had to make adjustments and be on our A-game,” Adamek said.
Adamek, a junior left-hander who has allowed one or no runs in 18 outings this season, is a big reason for the Knights’ success. She’s struck out 215 in 149 innings, with a 0.71 ERA, so her performance against Grassfield – one of best-hitting teams in Hampton Roads – was typical.
“They are all athletic, very strong hitters, so I knew I had to be unpredictable if I wanted to be successful,” Adamek said. “So I tried to move the ball to both sides of the plate and I was really climbing the ladder with my riseball – especially high and outside.
“I have so much trust in my defense this year, and I know they have my back at any moment. Their energy is fantastic; you just feed off of that as a pitcher.”
That goes both ways.
“Abby is always calm and poised and seems to handle anything in stride,” Knights’ coach Lori Gavin said. “Her teammates rally around her, play good defense and hit the ball well around her.”
First baseman Sydney Harris has swung the hottest bat, with a .473 average, five home runs and a .919 slugging percentage. Leadoff hitter McMichael (.408 average), Adamek (.343) and second baseman Grace Andes (.333) – who have teamed with Harris for three seasons – have also been steady at the plate.
As Adamek indicated, she’s gotten good defensive performances behind her everywhere, but singled out right fielder Griffiths. That figures as the junior has robbed five batters of singles by throwing them out from right field.
It’s a combination that has Adamek and her teammates thinking state title.
“If there was ever a time to do it, it is now because we have a very special group of girls,” Adamek said of the Knights, who finished the regular season No. 1 in the 757Teamz rankings. “We expect the competition in the state tournament to be even harder, so not being caught off guard because we’ve played those tough teams will be a big asset for us.
“It’s going to come down to those tooth-and-nail moments. I think we’re excited enough, and pushed ourselves far enough, to make it happen this year.”
