New Captains chart course for success

NEWPORT NEWS - A successful three innings at the Virginia all-star softball game was just a preview of what will be seen at Christopher Newport next spring.

Krista Townsend of Midlothian threw the fourth, fifth and sixth innings of yesterday's game to catcher Cheese Mitchell of Lee-Davis, their first time working together. It won't be the last, though, as the duo starts school at CNU in a few weeks and will be the battery for the Captains in their upcoming season.

"It was a great experience, and now I'm even more excited to play here next year," Townsend said. "We got along really well, and we're both really excited."

Nine Richmond-area players participated as part of the East team, which won 3-1 to close out a decade of dominance - the West hasn't won since 1998, and the game was rained out in 1999.

Townsend threw three innings of no-hit ball, striking out two and escaping a pair of 3-1 jams to hitters.

That was nothing, however, compared to what Atlee's Jackie Jenkins had to face. After scoring the go-ahead run, Jenkins was tasked with closing out the final three frames of the nine-inning game on the mound.

The West loaded the bases with one out in the eighth, but Jenkins pitched out of it. In the ninth, the go-ahead run was at home plate with one out, but a double play ended the game.

"I was nervous since I hadn't played with most of the girls behind me," Jenkins said. "It wasn't that bad pitching to random people - I got used to it."

MVP honors went to Haley Johnson of the East, who hit a double in the fourth inning that scored Cosby's Morgan Reynolds. She reached base on a walk. The West MVP was pitcher Brittany Arnn, who struck out seven in three hitless innings.

Midlothian coach Denise Manuel participated in the game, as did Cay Manuel, who played second base and shortstop. Ryndee Ruch of Atlee joined Jenkins, and Sarah Goodman of King William also made the team.

Amanda Woolard of Hanover came the closest to hitting a home run, but was denied at the center-field fence.

Reynolds said it was an opportunity for people from the area who usually play against each other to hang out.

"It was a first-time experience, and I loved it," she said. "It was a great bonding experience."

For most of the girls, it was over as they left the field. But Mitchell and Townsend, the future CNU teammates, hope it was only the beginning of an all-star collegiate pairing.

Contact Michael Phillips at (804) 649-6546 or .