Freshman Tegan Gabrielse has arrived in a big way on the mound, at the plate to lead Hickory into state softball semifinals
Coaches are always interested in how their players react to adversity, particularly the young ones. Hickory coach Shane Smith learned that freshman Tegan Gabrielse can handle the occasional setback just fine.
Touted as the “next big thing” in area high school softball coming into the season, Gabrielse has lived up to the billing. Competing in the area’s toughest district, she is 15-4-1 pitching and has hit for a .429 average with four home runs and 17 RBIs.
But, after helping the Hawks build a 6-1 lead with two outs in the sixth inning of the Class 5 Region A championship game last week, she hit a wall. Gabrielse gave up four runs, hitting three batters with pitches and walking another as the Chiefs rallied and eventually won 7-6 in eight innings.
Her response? Gabrielse pitched a four-hitter, striking out eight while notching a two-run homer among her three hits as the Hawks dethroned defending champion Nansemond River 5-1 on Tuesday in the Class 5 quarterfinals.
That effort, and those of her teammates, launched the Hawks (17-5-1) into the state semifinals. They play Woodgrove (25-2) at 1 p.m. on Friday at Riverside High in Loudoun County.
“I learned she had a lot of mental toughness,” Smith said. “A lot of kids would carry that bad inning with them, but she came back and hit the ball hard her next at-bat.
“The she came back and pitched a gem against the defending state champions and had three hits. She and her teammates showed a lot of gumption.”
“It was pretty easy to bounce back (from the Kempsville loss) because I knew I was tired but I had given it my all,” Gabrielse said.
Smith believes the Hawks’ challenging schedule has also “battle tested” Gabrielse to understand that ups and downs come with the territory. In addition to the brutal Southeastern District schedule — which includes four other schools ranked in the 757Teamz top 15 — the Hawks played fellow state semifinalist Granby, as well as VISAA state finalists Nansemond-Suffolk Academy and Isle of Wight.
“I have loved this high school season,” Gabrielse said. “I’ve learned that I have to relax a little more, especially in the pitching circle, throw strikes and do what I can do to help the team.”
Gabrielse displayed more than just speed in the pitching circle against Nansemond River, throwing 10 changeups for strikes. More importantly, Smith said, she got crucial strikeouts with Nansemond River players in scoring position on multiple occasions.
“She’s done a great job handling expectations,” he said. “We have a list of great pitchers here the past 20 years and we hold our pitchers to a higher standard.
“She’s one of the few to come in and earn the job as a freshman. She’s so competitive she’s gets upset when she loses a drill in practice, so, when the game is on the line, she has the bulldog in her.
“No freshman, here, has ever had as big a game in both the circle and at the plate as she did against Nansemond River.”
Smith said her prowess hitting comes from dedication to lifting weights and relentless practice in the batting cage in her backyard. Her home run off of Warriors’ ace Cierra Gawryluk cleared the fence in deep center field, increasing the Hawks’ lead to 4-0 and answering any doubts about whether she’d rebound from the disappointment against Kempsville.
“I was even more excited than my first high school home run, which I hit at Nansemond River (in a 9-2 win in April), because this one made us state (semifinal) bound,” Gabrielse said. “To know we’re going to play Friday, and potentially Saturday (for the state title) felt amazing, because we all fought for each other as a team and gave it our all.”
Friday’s state semifinal schedule
Class 5 baseball
Semifinals at Riverside High in Leesburg
Glen Allen vs. Nansemond River, 10 a.m.
Douglas Freeman vs. Granby, 1 p.m.
Class 5 softball
Semifinals at Riverside High in Leesburg
Stone Bridge vs. Granby, 10 a.m.
Hickory vs. Woodgrove, 1 p.m.
Class 6 boys soccer
Semifinal at Freedom High in Chantilly
Landstown vs. Langley, 1:30 p.m.
Class 5 boys soccer
Semifinals at Riverside High in Leesburg
Riverside vs. Kecoughtan, 11 a.m.
Deep Run vs. Cox, 1:30 p.m.
Class 6 girls soccer
Semifinal at John Champe High in Aldie
Kellam vs. South County, 11 a.m.
Class 5 girls soccer
Semifinals at Briar Woods High in Ashburn
Deep Run vs. First Colonial, 11 a.m.
Briar Woods vs. Cox, 1:30 p.m.
Class 3 baseball
Semifinal at Spotsylvania High
Liberty Christian vs. Lafayette, 10 a.m. Note: VHSL updated opponent and game time.
Class 4 boys soccer
Semifinals at Chancellor High in Fredericksburg
Jefferson Forest vs. Great Bridge, 9 a.m.
Western Albemarle vs. Smithfield, 11 a.m.
Class 3 boys soccer
Semifinal at Courtland High in Spotsylvania
Charlottesville vs. Tabb, 9 a.m.
Class 4 girls soccer
Semifinal at Chancellor High in Fredericksburg
Smithfield vs. Tuscarora, 1 p.m.
Class 3 girls soccer
Semifinals at Courtland High in Spotsylvania
Lord Botetourt vs. Lafayette, 9 a.m.
Class 2 girls soccer
Semifinal at Spartan Field in Salem
Alleghany vs. Poquoson, 1 p.m.
