Broad Run softball stays perfect
By Jason S. Rufner
Broad Run's Caitlyn Delahaba was one out away from perfection in a game the Spartans would win 6-0 versus a feisty Dominion Titan squad Friday night in Ashburn.
In her way stood Dominion's Dee Dee Fryer, Delahaba's teammate on club teams since the two seniors were eight years old.
The first two meetings between the two had resulted in tremendous infield pop-ups. In this third at-bat, the combatants' faces conveyed the effort each was investing to win the mini-battle of what Dominion coach Tom Chuba termed "a friendly rivalry."
Delahaba's fastball, the one that had led to 16 strikeouts of Dominion batters on the night, blazed in. Fryer centered it, her bat whipping through the zone, connecting solidly and rocketing the yellow ball back through the pitcher's circle, narrowly missing Delahaba's left shoulder. Fryer's true liner ended her club teammate's bid at a perfect game.
"Yeah, I wanted it [the perfect game]," Delahaba said. "But she deserved to get a hit. She's a great player."
Fryer briefly beamed at first base, and very briefly, Delahaba scowled at the result. Then, the two game faces returned, and Delahaba coaxed the next Dominion hitter into grounding into the game's final out for the Spartans' 13th victory in as many games this season.
"They know each other extremely well," Broad Run coach Ed Steele said. "It's a cat-and-mouse game. We won the first two [at-bats] and Dee Dee won the third. She's a super player."
Delahaba's near-perfecto gave Steele the 301st victory of his softball coaching career, which began in 1992 with a 4-3 win against Herndon. Steele has since unassumingly guided the Spartans to numerous district titles, multiple state championships and national recognition.
"I don't think anybody rational starts out saying 'I want to win 300 games,'" Steele said. "But time rolls along, I've stayed healthy, we've had good teams, and we've won a lot of games in a relatively short period of time."
Steele was honored after Friday’s game with a plaque presented to him by Spartan athletic director Jack Kirby to commemorate the 300-win milestone, which was reached with a 6-0 defeat of Potomac Falls on April 15.
"It seems like during games, there isn't much effort on his part; the girls just go out and do it," said Chuba about Steele. "His practices must really prepare the girls to step on the field and play hard, because they're very polished out there."
Chuba's pitcher, Jessie Denson, battled the defending state champs through six innings.
"Jessie did a fabulous job. She battled tonight," said Chuba, mentioning key strikeouts Denson used to work out of several jams, eliminating big innings for Broad Run.
Delahaba aided her own cause with two RBIs on three hits. Ashley Kramer authored four singles and four stolen bases.
"[Ashley] was first-team All-State last year, and this year she's even better," Steele remarked of his leadoff hitter.
Steele returns the bulk of last year's state title roster, including Delahaba.
"We have probably the best team I've been on in high school," the starting pitcher said.