Lancers’ Lewis outduels Terriers’ Mahoney in Region III softball

William Byrd pitcher Jessica Mahoney came into Monday’s Region III first-round softball game against Amherst highly regarded.

After all, the sophomore has pitched a perfect game, a combined no-hitter and routinely recorded double-digit strikeout totals this season. She was named the Blue Ridge District’s pitcher of the year.

But on Monday, she was overshadowed by Amherst’s junior pitcher Sydney Lewis, who threw a seven-hit shutout to lead the Lancers to a 6-0 win. Mahoney, meanwhile, went the distance and gave up five earned runs, five hits, two walks and hit two batters.

“I had heard (that Mahoney was an impressive pitcher) but we’ve faced some pretty good pitchers before,” Lancers coach Larry Thomas said. “I thought we would be alright if we could put the ball in play. And, right now, I wouldn’t take anyone over (Lewis).”

Amherst (16-5) travels to Bridgewater to play Turner Ashby today at 6 p.m. The Terriers finish the season at 12-8.

Lewis (11-5) surrendered no walks, struck out four batters, recorded 12 ground-ball outs and allowed just nine balls out of the infield.

“She’s not going blow it by you,” Thomas said. “She mixes her speeds and hits her spots.”

“I was confident but definitely nervous,” Lewis said. “Strikeouts are great, but they don’t happen all the time. I was looking to get groundballs that my defense can field.”

The Lancers took an early lead by getting two runs in the bottom of the second. Renesha Chiles led off the inning with single, took second when Shauna Douglas was hit by a pitch and stole third. Chiles finally scored on Ashley Campbell’s sacrifice fly that also advanced Douglas to third. Douglas scored three pitches later on a passed ball to put Amherst up 2-0.

The Lancers put the game out of reach with four runs in the sixth. The big hit was Terri Thompson’s three-run triple into the right centerfield gap and Lewis added an RBI-double.

“(Lewis) has done the job for us,” Thomas said. “If we keep hitting the ball, putting it in play and scoring a few runs and our defense holds up, she’ll do the job for us.”