At 4-9 overall, Kettle Run's record just isn't indicative of the fact that, at least for a while, the Cougars can hang with the big teams and even provide a couple scares.

The Cougars batted in two runs in the bottom of the first inning against Brentsville District pitcher Tori Thompson with Stephanie Roberts coming home on an RBI triple to by shortstop Alexis Cook and pitcher Christine Bowman driving in Cooke from a single to right field.

"We just had to come out and try our best," said Cook.

Tiger opponents, however, usually end up with a reminder about why Brentsville (10-2 overall, 4-0 district) is a contender for the district throne year after year, and the Cougars were no exception on the Fauquier side of Nokesville April 29.

A 2-1 liner to left field by second baseman Rachel Lee just past the outstretched glove of third baseman Carly Karanovich led to a monster fifth inning where the Tigers drove in exactly half of the 10 batters they sent to the plate. Holding a 7-2 lead, Brentsville added on two more runs in the top of the sixth from a triple by Kayla Dost, who then scored on a passed ball three pitches later, to clinch a 9-2 victory over their youngest Evergreen district rival.

"We fed off the energy of the first person that hit," said the Tigers' third baseman Abby Carpenter about the fifth inning.

Shortstop Becki Tucker cracked a fly to right field that ended up blending in with the sun shining brightly over the right side of the ball park, allowing it to drop in the field and giving Brentsville runners on first and second with no outs.

Carpenter said the sun made it difficult for both teams.

"I gave Megan (Avakian) my sunglasses because it was pretty hard" to see, said Carpenter, referring to the Tigers' first baseman.

After a passed ball two batters later, Lee headed home on another passed ball to giving Brentsville a 3-2 lead. Carpenter then broke the game open with an RBI single between the shortstop and second base bag. Senior catcher Danielle Zecca followed up by making the most she could out of an 0-1 pitch that she golfed to deep left center field for a run-scoring double.

With runners at second and third and only one out, right fielder Jennifer Moreland worked Bowman to a full count before nubbing a shallow pop fly in the infield. Kettle Run second baseman Jessica King darted toward the pitching circle, dropped her mitted hand to the dirt and scooped the ball at the bottom of its flight, tumbling to the ground as she grabbed the second out of the inning.

That did not deter left fielder Gigi Kolb, however, as the utility outfielder smacked a hard grounder past third base for another RBI. Designated player Stephanie Palmer continued the hit parade when she smacked a shot that scraped King's glove and bounced into right field, scoring the final run of the inning.

Kettle Run coach Dan Olinger was nearly lost for words describing Brentsville, calling them a "good team" three times in a row before adding, "They hit the ball well."

Cougar pitcher Bowman visibly improved since her last outing against the Tigers in April when she focused heavily on working right-handed batters inside. This time, she mixed up her pitch selection, according to Carpenter. That meant the Tigers had to look for clues in order to figure out what was coming.

"The way she snaps (her wrist), it really shows the she's going to go," said Carpenter. Bowman's rise ball turned out to be particularly effective prior to the fifth inning.

"We were falling for it too," said Carpenter.

Brentsville coach Amy Beard explained that the coaching staff specifically prepared for Bowman by working on inside pitches during practice.

"(Her) curveball breaks pretty well," said Beard.

Bowman and Thompson both showed signs of brilliance late in the game. Bowman struck out the side as part of a 1-2-3 top of the seventh while Thompson collected back to back 1-2-3 innings in the bottom of the fifth and sixth.

As Olinger said after the last time the two teams faced each other, he stressed again that Kettle Run is a tight team in a pretty tough district; they're just trying to figure out how to close out big games.

"I just want to be competitive and I really think we can be competitive," said Olinger. "The girls just got to have confidence."

According to Beard, Brentsville's mission is to finish out the regular season by continuing to do what they've done all year.

"They can't slow down," she said. "They don't have a choice."