Covenant’s softball squad built a two-run lead in the first inning of the VISAA quarterfinals.
Then, the Eagles held on tight.
Those early goals proved to be enough for Covenant as the No. 3-seeded Eagles beat Nansemond Suffolk 2-1 to advance to the state’s final four.
Lindsey Chaney struck out 13 for the Eagles and was particularly efficient, facing just 24 batters (three more than the minimum) without surrendering a walk.
Charlotte Hendrix scored in the opening inning on a fielding error off a Covenant single. Then Aliece Carney drove in Alexis Steljes to spot the Eagles to the 2-0 lead.
Carney was 2-for-2 on the day for Covenant.
NSA scored in the sixth inning, but couldn’t find the equalizing run as Chaney stayed focused.
The Eagles will face Brunswick Academy, who beat St. Margaret’s on Tuesday to move on. They’ll face off at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Dinwiddie Sports Complex.
