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Tigers close in first round
Ira Lewis/Special to the News-Sun
The St. David Tigers' softball team traveled to Phoenix Friday to play defending state champions Joseph City in the first round of the 1A State Championships.
In a rematch of last year's first round game, the Tigers fell once again to the Wildcats of Joseph City. Unlike last year, this game went the whole distance and the Tigers were literally inches away from pulling an upset in the opening round.
"The girls will all tell you that we could have won this game," said Coach Ira Lewis. "A play here or there, a timely hit here or there, and this game could have been ours. We worked hard all week in practice and we believed in ourselves and our abilities. I'm proud of the way the girls competed today."
In the first inning the Tigers went down quickly, only seeing a total of 6 pitches. "The first inning isn't what you want in a first round game," Lewis said. "Instead of making the pitcher make some pitches to see what she had we swung early and often and hit some lazy, easy outs."
In the bottom of the first, the Wildcats got on the board with a couple of singles and a mental lapse that allowed a ground ball to get past the outfield defense and roll to the fence.
After that, the game turned into a defensive affair with two straight quick innings. The only base runner in the second and third innings was a two-out walk to Miranda Cottrell.
In the top of the fourth, the Tigers finally broke through on a pair of hits and a stolen base. Kayla Carpenter got a two-out single, stole second base, and came around to score on a bases hit to left by her sister Breana Carpenter, to make the score 2-1.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Wildcats answered with three runs of their own. The first three batters of the inning all got on base with a single, a walk, and a double before the Tigers could regroup.
With one run in and runners on second and third, first baseman Breana Carpenter snared a line drive to record the first out and keep the runners from advancing.
The next batter hit a ground ball to third, which Rachael Larson grabbed, looked the runner at third back, and made a strong throw to first to get the runner out. The Tigers' first baseman temporarily lost track of the out count and barely missed throwing the runner out at the plate to end the inning with just one run scored.
That temporary lapse was compounded when the next batter hit a ball that should have been out number three, but it got under the shortstops' glove and into center field, allowing the third run of the inning to score.
"Those two plays were just unfortunate for us," Lewis said. "We lost track of the out count for just a fraction of a second and then Amorette just missed the ball that would have been out number three. Amorette played such a great shortstop all game that when the ball was hit, I was already heading out of the dugout, I was so sure she would make the play.
In the bottom of the third she made a great over the shoulder diving catch to end the inning that was the hardest play made by either team all night. Amorette is a good player, and she is only a freshman, who will continue to get better."
The fifth inning saw each team get a player on, but neither team was able to cash in the opportunity.
In the top of the sixth, the Tigers scored again. Kayla Carpenter reached on a walk, moved up to second on a fielders' choice ground out by her sister, and came around to score her second run of the game on a single through the hole between 3rd and short by Amorette Jacquez.
Again, the Wildcats responded by getting the first two runners on with a single and either an error or a single by the second batter.
"It depends on who saw it as to how it would be scored," Lewis said. "Kayla Vargas made a great diving grab of a hard-hit ball. When she got to her knees to make the throw to first, she just lost the ball. I thought she made a marvelous play just to keep the ball on the infield. Kayla would probably tell you that she should have gotten the out. Either way it was a good play by her."
With two runners on, the Tigers got an easy out at first with both runners moving up one base.
The next batter hit a fly ball to right field that Marissa Webb caught for out number two, and then she made a nice, strong throw to home plate to keep the runners in check. The next batter got a base hit to drive in one run and the second run came around to score when the center fielder over ran the ball attempting to make a play at the plate.
The Tigers did get a player on in the top of the seventh with two outs, but were unable to make anymore noise.
Cyndal Mayberry went 2-4 at the plate, pitched a complete game, and did a good job of keeping her composure and poise in a hot, fierce game.
Kayla Carpenter went 1-2 with two runs scored. Amorette Jacquez went 1-3 and drove in a run and made several nice plays defensively in her first trip to state. Webb, playing in her first game at state, played a great right field, recording three outs in as many opportunities.
"I was really proud of our girls and specially proud of our freshmen," Lewis said. "We started three freshmen in the game. Not sure many teams can say that, and all three of them did something positive for our team. Yes we wanted to win, but today Joseph City just made more plays than us. It's that simple."
The Tigers lose only first baseman Breana Carpenter from the starting lineup, and next year should make a return trip and a deep run at state.
"We are going to do a few things in the off season to help our girls get ahead and be ready for next year," Lewis said. "We have eight returning starters, three returning pitchers, and a team that I honestly feel is a top 10 team right now. In fact I believe that if we played each of the eight teams that made it through the first night, we probably could have beaten at least half of them. I'm not just saying that to say it, I believe it and I know the girls would back me up on it too."
The St. David Tigers' softball team traveled to Phoenix Friday to play defending state champions Joseph City in the first round of the 1A State Championships.
In a rematch of last year's first round game, the Tigers fell once again to the Wildcats of Joseph City. Unlike last year, this game went the whole distance and the Tigers were literally inches away from pulling an upset in the opening round.
"The girls will all tell you that we could have won this game," said Coach Ira Lewis. "A play here or there, a timely hit here or there, and this game could have been ours. We worked hard all week in practice and we believed in ourselves and our abilities. I'm proud of the way the girls competed today."
In the first inning the Tigers went down quickly, only seeing a total of 6 pitches. "The first inning isn't what you want in a first round game," Lewis said. "Instead of making the pitcher make some pitches to see what she had we swung early and often and hit some lazy, easy outs."
In the bottom of the first, the Wildcats got on the board with a couple of singles and a mental lapse that allowed a ground ball to get past the outfield defense and roll to the fence.
After that, the game turned into a defensive affair with two straight quick innings. The only base runner in the second and third innings was a two-out walk to Miranda Cottrell.
In the top of the fourth, the Tigers finally broke through on a pair of hits and a stolen base. Kayla Carpenter got a two-out single, stole second base, and came around to score on a bases hit to left by her sister Breana Carpenter, to make the score 2-1.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Wildcats answered with three runs of their own. The first three batters of the inning all got on base with a single, a walk, and a double before the Tigers could regroup.
With one run in and runners on second and third, first baseman Breana Carpenter snared a line drive to record the first out and keep the runners from advancing.
The next batter hit a ground ball to third, which Rachael Larson grabbed, looked the runner at third back, and made a strong throw to first to get the runner out. The Tigers' first baseman temporarily lost track of the out count and barely missed throwing the runner out at the plate to end the inning with just one run scored.
That temporary lapse was compounded when the next batter hit a ball that should have been out number three, but it got under the shortstops' glove and into center field, allowing the third run of the inning to score.
"Those two plays were just unfortunate for us," Lewis said. "We lost track of the out count for just a fraction of a second and then Amorette just missed the ball that would have been out number three. Amorette played such a great shortstop all game that when the ball was hit, I was already heading out of the dugout, I was so sure she would make the play.
In the bottom of the third she made a great over the shoulder diving catch to end the inning that was the hardest play made by either team all night. Amorette is a good player, and she is only a freshman, who will continue to get better."
The fifth inning saw each team get a player on, but neither team was able to cash in the opportunity.
In the top of the sixth, the Tigers scored again. Kayla Carpenter reached on a walk, moved up to second on a fielders' choice ground out by her sister, and came around to score her second run of the game on a single through the hole between 3rd and short by Amorette Jacquez.
Again, the Wildcats responded by getting the first two runners on with a single and either an error or a single by the second batter.
"It depends on who saw it as to how it would be scored," Lewis said. "Kayla Vargas made a great diving grab of a hard-hit ball. When she got to her knees to make the throw to first, she just lost the ball. I thought she made a marvelous play just to keep the ball on the infield. Kayla would probably tell you that she should have gotten the out. Either way it was a good play by her."
With two runners on, the Tigers got an easy out at first with both runners moving up one base.
The next batter hit a fly ball to right field that Marissa Webb caught for out number two, and then she made a nice, strong throw to home plate to keep the runners in check. The next batter got a base hit to drive in one run and the second run came around to score when the center fielder over ran the ball attempting to make a play at the plate.
The Tigers did get a player on in the top of the seventh with two outs, but were unable to make anymore noise.
Cyndal Mayberry went 2-4 at the plate, pitched a complete game, and did a good job of keeping her composure and poise in a hot, fierce game.
Kayla Carpenter went 1-2 with two runs scored. Amorette Jacquez went 1-3 and drove in a run and made several nice plays defensively in her first trip to state. Webb, playing in her first game at state, played a great right field, recording three outs in as many opportunities.
"I was really proud of our girls and specially proud of our freshmen," Lewis said. "We started three freshmen in the game. Not sure many teams can say that, and all three of them did something positive for our team. Yes we wanted to win, but today Joseph City just made more plays than us. It's that simple."
The Tigers lose only first baseman Breana Carpenter from the starting lineup, and next year should make a return trip and a deep run at state.
"We are going to do a few things in the off season to help our girls get ahead and be ready for next year," Lewis said. "We have eight returning starters, three returning pitchers, and a team that I honestly feel is a top 10 team right now. In fact I believe that if we played each of the eight teams that made it through the first night, we probably could have beaten at least half of them. I'm not just saying that to say it, I believe it and I know the girls would back me up on it too."
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