AAA softball Times-Dispatch softball player of the year Lauren Vinson of Prince George headlines the Richmond area selections to the Virginia High School Coaches Association Group AAA all-state team. Joining Vinson, who spearheaded the Royals’ first Central Region championship and advancement to the state semifinals, are Leona Rainey of Mills Godwin and Morgan Reynolds of Cosby. Rainey was the Colonial District and Central Region player of the year. Reynolds was the Dominion District player of the year.

Lauren Vinson had one thing in mind when she let the pitch go to Great Bridge batter Kaitlynn Szczepanski in the semifinals of the Virginia High School League Group AAA softball tournament: get ahead in the count. Vinson’s Prince George team was locked in a scoreless battle in the bottom of the seventh inning. “I didn’t really know what she had done for their season. I didn’t know she was one of their big hitters,“ said Vinson, who had struck out Szczepanski in her previous at-bat. “I wasn’t as cautious as I should have been. I should have pitched away from her. When I saw the bat make contact, I was like ‘that’s outta here.‘“

Year: Senior
  Position: First base
  The skinny: Batting in a district with four standout pitchers, Bridgeman hit .558. Among her hits were nine doubles, four triples and a home run. She knocked in 28 runs and scored 19. Was the Generals’ scholar-athlete of the year and first-team all-Central District and all-region. She’s headed to Longwood.

Prince George softball coach Pat Waguespack will begin focusing on his team’s appearance in the semifinals of the Virginia High School League Group AAA tournament today. The rain that wrecked the original tournament schedule at Westfield High in Chantilly permitted Waguespack to be on hand for a joyous occasion last night: his daughter’s graduation from Prince George.