Blackstone—The Southampton Academy girl’s softball team fell just short in the semifinals of the Virginia Commonwealth Conference tournament, losing to Brunswick Academy in a tightly contested game by the final score of 4-3.

In a game that remained scoreless until the top of the fourth inning, the Raiders scored first on a solo home run by Kate Wachsmann. Brunswick came back with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead. In the top half of the fifth, the Raiders tied the game on a two-run shot by Katelyn Newsome. The score remained tied until the bottom of the sixth, when BA scored a single run for a 4-3 lead. That score would hold up, as the Raiders were unable to take advantage of two base runners in the top of the seventh inning.

Southampton Academy’s Brooke Mizelle pitched a complete game for the Raiders, allowing only four hits and striking out seven. Reflecting on the game, assistant coach Scott Speight said, “We told the girls if we were only going to win one tournament, we’d rather it be the state playoffs.”

SA, based on its ranking at number two in the state polls, will host a first round state tournament game in Courtland on Tuesday. The game’s start time and their opponent have yet to be determined.