Nansemond River’s Cierra Gawryluk pitches perfect game, Granby also advances in Class 5 Region B softball

Granby was the feel-good story of the softball postseason a year ago, becoming the rare Norfolk school to advance to a state semifinal in the sport.

The No. 3-seeded Comets served notice they could be poised for a similar run with an 11-0 win over No. 6 Bethel in the Class 5 Region B Tournament first round Wednesday at the Stoney Run Complex. It was a game in which they did everything well.

For Cierra Gawryluk, it was deja vu as she pitched a perfect game to lead No. 4 Nansemond River to a 5-0 win over No. 5 Gloucester. Gawryluk, now a senior, beat Gloucester by throwing a perfect game in a region tournament opener two years ago at Stoney Run.

The Comets banged out 12 hits and put on a base-running show that included five steals. They gave the Bruins no chance to score as Natalie Anglim pitched a one-hitter in a contest shortened to five innings by the mercy rule. The defense behind her was errorless.

“I thought it was a full team effort one through nine,” Comets coach Brandon Hairston said. “The defense was flawless today and I was very impressed with that.

“I thought we were able to just put the pressure on them. Bethel made some plays early, but we were able to keep the pressure on them and score some runs.”

1 of 12

Gloucester first baseman Cameron Palas gets a batter out at first during a Class 5 Region B Tournament Quarterfinal game against Nansemond River at Stoney Run Athletic Complex in Newport News, Va. on Wednesday, May 24, 2023. Nansemond River defeated Gloucester 5-0. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)

Base running was how, right from the start. Taylor Langston led off the Comets’ first at-bat with a single up the middle, then stole second and third bases.

Langston scored on a single by Lovie Norman. Norman also scored on the play, sprinting around the bases to make it 2-0 when the ball rolled through the right fielder’s legs and to the fence.

“I was thinking ‘run,’ just listening to my coach and following him,” Norman said. “If I get out, it’s on him.”

Norman added that the Comets have complete confidence in those coaches, so they continued throughout the afternoon to steal and take extra bases with confidence.

Norman led the offense with three hits, including a double, and two RBIs. That’s kind of expected as she bats in the third spot, but the Comets got terrific production from No. 8 hitter Dekya Harris and No. 9 Anwyn Williams. They combined to reach base five times, scoring on each.

Anglim shared pitching duties a year ago with current Roanoke University pitcher Mackenzie Samuel. The Comets’ primary pitcher this season, Anglim was in top form in allowing just the first-inning single to Kayla Harmon, then walking one batter thereafter.

“I like having the pressure,” Anglim said. “It puts me at ease. Everything was working, my change-up and going inside and outside.”

The Comets will play No. 2 Kecoughtan (17-2) on Friday in the semifinals with a state tournament berth on the line.

“It would mean a lot to us because we’re the underdogs,” Norman said. “Everyone has their doubts about Norfolk, so to go back to states would be a big achievement.”

Gawryluk, a left-hander who will play for Longwood University next season, struck out 15 of 21 batters she faced in leading the Warriors (18-3) into the semifinals.

Gawryluk’s RBI double broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the sixth inning as Sadie Bowden also pitched well for Gloucester (16-4). Taylor Shreck and Sierra Scott added RBI singles in the sixth before Nikiya Holland capped the five-run outburst with a two-run single.

Nansemond River will play top-seeded Menchville (17-2) on Friday at Stoney Run for a state tournament berth.