FARMVILLE – The fourth seeded Fuqua School softball team outlasted No. 5 Amelia Academy 2-0 in the quarterfinal round of the Virginia Commonwealth Conference Softball Tournament on Tuesday afternoon at Al Smith Field.

The Falcons scored a single run in the bottom of the fourth and an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth to move on in the tournament.

“We have been playing better in all facets of the game recently, and we did so today,” said FS head coach Robert Schmidt. “We would've liked to have been a little more consistent in our hitting, but we were able to put enough hits together to get the job done and advance to the tournament semifinals.”

For Amelia Academy, which pretty much matched the Falcons pitch-for-pitch, the hits were not as timely.

“I can't remember the last time we have been able to string together three hits in a row,” said AA head coach Frank Shanaberger. “Macie [Ware] did a good job for Fuqua of keeping her pitches around the plate and keeping it low. We played well enough to win, with the exception of being able to put together enough offense. You have to score at least one in order to win.”

Fuqua eighth grader Katie Haney tripled to lead off the fourth and scored when Jordan Pepper reached base on a fielding error.

Amelia Academy put runners in scoring position in the top of the fifth, but was not able to get a run to cross the plate.

Fuqua scored its second run of the game in the bottom of the fifth. Kari Davis reached base on a fielder's choice, and pitcher Macie Ware lined a two-out double to the fence to score Davis.

Amelia Academy catcher Rickylyn Cundiff doubled to start off the sixth, but with the top of the order due up for the Patriots, Ware was able to shut down AA with six consecutive outs to seal the victory.

Fuqua advances to the semifinal round of the VCC Tournament, which will be held at Kenston Forest.

The Falcons will face the Kavaliers, the top seed in the tournament, at 2 p.m. on Friday in Blackstone.

Just last week, Fuqua stunned KF, winning 2-1 and snapping the Kavaliers' VCC win streak of over 60 games.

“I'm sure they haven't forgotten,” joked Schmidt. “They won't be taking any mercy on us, so we'll have to go in there ready to play, but there is no reason for us to go in there lacking confidence.”

The Falcons should be in good position for a bid to the VISSA Division III Tournament, but the goal now becomes to have a good enough showing to earn a home game in the first round.

“That's what we'd like to get,” said Schmidt. “Right now, we're playing some pretty good ball, and as long as we continue to back up our pitching with solid defense and error free ball, and getting timely hitting, we have as good a shot as any.

“We just need to continue to play as relaxed and as well as we have for the last couple of weeks.”