Brittany Keyser is the prototype leadoff hitter.
The freshman has a high on-base percentage and speed to burn on the base paths.
Tuesday in the opening round of the Pioneer District, the shortstop had her full arsenal on display.
Keyser went 3-for-4 at the plate, stole four bases and scored three times leading Covington to a 5-4 trimming of Parry McCluer.
The win not only advanced the Cougars to a Thursday semifinal match-up with Bath County at James River, but also locked down a spot in next week’s Region C, Division 1 tournament.
Covington trailed 4-1 early, but whittled at the Parry McCluer lead with single runs in both the third and fifth.
The dramatics started in the home half of the sixth and the big hit came from an unlikely source.
Shanna Woodward reached on an error with two outs and Cougar coach Leigh Ann Woodward turned to her bench.
She called on junior varsity call-up Mary Woodson.
Woodson, in her first varsity at-bat, delivered with a double to the gap in right-center, scoring courtesy runner Summer Richards, tying the game at 4-all.
“I just felt like Mary’s bat is strong,” said Woodward. “I thought she could get it to the outfield for us and that’s what she did.”
Leading off the last of the seventh, Keyser laced a single to left.
She stole second, moved to third on a Kristina Huffman ground ball and scored the game-winner on Whitney Crawford’s sacrifice fly to short right.
“Awesome base running,” said Woodward of Keyser. “If Brittany gets on base, you know you can steal her. She’s really fast and she’s really smart. She puts a lot of pressure on the defense.”
Parry McCluer built the early lead with five hits, leading to four runs in the opening two innings.
Blues pitcher Kayla Harmon had a pair of hits and two RBI.
But after the second, it was Woodward, Covington’s junior hurler, who stifled Parry McCluer’s offense.
Woodward retired 16 of the last 17 hitters she faced over the final five and a third.
“Shanna struggled a little bit hitting her spots in the beginning,” said Woodward, the coach, about Woodward, her daughter. “Once she got settled and focused, she pitched very well.”
Woodward struck out seven, walked one and hit a batter, while the Cougar defense committed just one error.
Left fielder Kalynn Javins speared a line drive for the defensive play of the game with a runner on in the sixth.
Covington scored single runs in each of the first, third and fifth innings to set up the big finish.
Keyser singled, stole second and scored when Huffman reached on an error in the first.
In the third, Crawford walked and scored when Kelsie Newcomer’s bunt was misplayed.
And in the fifth, it was Keyser singling, stealing second, moved to third on a ground out and stealing home when Parry McCluer catcher tried a pickoff.
Huffman, Woodward and Woodson had one hit each for the Cougars, who moved to 11-9 on the year.
Harmon had two hits for Parry McCluer (3-15), while Rachel Crowder, Brandi Dorey, Courtney Hood and Ashton Beverly had one hit each.
In Tuesday’s other first round game, Craig County blasted Highland County, 17-0.
The Rockets will face tournament host James River at 7 p.m., in Thursday’s second semifinal, following the Cougar-Charger 5 p.m. opener.
The district finals will be Friday at James River.