Falls Church — Members of the Oakton softball team endearingly refer to standout sophomore pitcher Allison Davis as "The Chosen One." Facing a win-or-go-home scenario on May 28, Davis gave the Hayfield Hawks a glimpse of the talents that earned her the same moniker as NBA star LeBron James.
Davis threw a two-hit shutout and delivered a two-run double as Oakton defeated Hayfield, 6-0, in a Northern Region quarterfinal matchup at Falls Church High School. Davis walked one, hit one batter and struck out 11 while allowing only one runner to reach third base. At the plate, her two-run double was part of a four-run fourth inning for the Cougars.
"She works so hard," Oakton head coach Ray Gordon said. "Allison works at the game 12 months of the year. She’s really good."
While Davis’ work ethic continues to improve her on-field talents, No. 21 said she has also gotten better at handling pressure.
"I think I took a lot of the weight last year just being the pitcher and I let it get to me a little bit," the sophomore said. "This year, I’ve just kind of calmed down and relaxed and I’ve learned to trust my team because they’re really good on defense."
Right-fielder Mary Kate Mehegan gave Oakton a 2-0 lead with an RBI groundout in the second. Sophomore second baseman Becky Cerva produced a run-scoring single in the fourth and two batters later, junior shortstop Emily Krisanda delivered an RBI double.
Oakton, the No. 2 seed from the Concorde District, will take on Patriot District champion South County in the regional semifinals at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30 at Madison High School.