More Reasons to Celebrate -- The Magic Season Continues

It was a beautiful day (in the neighborhood) for softball, specifically the Hancock Tournament where we gathered on (Homerun) Field 2 to defend our title (actually, our three consecutive titles) and try to extend our 7-game winning streak to 10.

When the oddsmakers in Vegas heard that Affton had dropped at the last minute and been replaced by Parkway South’s upper echelon JV squad, the numbers on the big board changed rapidly and dramatically, perhaps fueled in part by the confidence exhibited by the Parkway South parents. “Webster who?” Of course, what were the odds of losing three straight coin tosses to determine home team? (Actually, as it turns out, according to Marilyn Vos Savant, 50-50, but never mind.)

An Experiment and Control Group: Webster 20, Gateway Science Academy 8

First things first. GSA (Gateway Science Academy) and their young program suggested a rule change that mirrors the WGBSL’s rec-league rules for 3^rd and 4^th grade: 5 runs or 3 outs, whichever comes first. We demurred and promised to find a more authentic way to end the carnage if that became necessary. In addition to letting GSA have the call on the coin flip we were beginning to second guess ourselves after our opponents answered our 4-run first with their own 8-spot. I wasn’t really worried, but we had never allowed that many runs to a team we had defeated all year.

Order was restored with a pitching change and our own 9-run 2^nd inning. We tacked on 7 more in the 3^rd, including two “leaving early” calls (yes, there’s an app, I mean sign, for that) to end the inning and move us into the semi-final round with a 20-8 victory. Sarah Sammon (double) and Nicola Rikand (home run) each contributed an extra base hit to go with many walks, wild pitches and uncontested stolen bases.

The mismatch wasn’t really a challenge, but neither was there any sense of panic on the bench or in the coaching box after we fell behind. The victory meant we were able to stay at Field 2 for Game 2 against the Parkway South JV-Blue (freshman) squad.

Blue Patriots: Webster 16, Parkway South (Blue) 0

Well, that didn’t take long. I didn’t have the heart to tell the Patriot coach we were featuring an “upside down” lineup after 2 of the first three batters banged home runs and we led 3-0 before the umpire had a chance to dust the plate again. By the time P. South had recorded their third out, we were up 11-0. Taylor Knapp notched her eighth win by keeping things that way, pitching a 3-inning, 1-hit shutout and we added more runs in the second (2) and third (3), with a triple from Hannah Jansen and a homer from Kelly Collins. Errorless defense supported the pitching and the game ended quickly on the 15-run rule, setting up the championship finale.

Red or Blue, We Don’t Care: Webster 9, Parkway South (Red) 7

This was a worthy championship game, featuring two strong programs, even if only one thought they deserved the trophy. Because we had the same plate umpire for all three games, I was saved the trouble of giving him a new roster each game. “Same as last time,” said I. Parkway South declined the “Bat the Roster” option. (That’s the primary reason we play this tournament – if we didn’t want the chance to showcase ALL our players, we’d find a different tournament.)

In the post-game autopsy, Coach Cerutti praised the girls, saying “Parkway batted their best 9.” Hannah Jansen’s perfect rejoinder? “We batted our best 14.” Does anyone wonder why the coaching staff loves this team? Life doesn’t always turn out this way, sadly, but when doing (what you think is) the right thing has the desired result, well, it’s just (insert your adjective here).

The Patriots jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but the Statesmen pitching and defense adjusted and cooled their momentum. In our top of the third, Megan Hayes worked a walk, Rebekah Riefle added a single and Jessica Peterson bashed her first career home run to seize the lead. Kelly Collins drove in Hannah Jansen and Carissa Castro with a double to stun the Patriots and their supporters.

Good baserunning by Guin Ellsworth in the 4^th saw her cross the plate as Sarah Sammon battled a 2-strike count to make contact and get an insurance run across. We flirted with disaster, in more ways than one, in the fifth. A line drive up the middle skipped off the top of Kelly Collins’s head, temporarily putting her on the bench. A Field 2 home run off Taylor Knapp knotted the score before she could get the third out.

As Coach Knapp pointed out in the post-game, this team doesn’t play for themselves but for each other. With Kelly on the bench and under an ice bag, we rallied for three runs, with a huge hit by Taylor Graning and a clutch single by Maya Litton that drove in two and scored another when the Patriots panicked. With a 9-6 lead and time expired, a single and error put a runner on second with no one out in the sixth; Kelly returned to the circle. She recorded two quick outs (scoring P. South’s seventh run), but the third, fourth and fifth hitters in their lineup all reached. Bases loaded, two outs, momentum seemingly on the side of the Red Team.

But the red faces belonged to the Patriots as Kelly induced a ground ball back to her and she made no mistake in getting the ball to Maya for Out #3 and a hard-fought 9-7 win. Can you say, “Four-peat?” I can. The pride I have in this team, their hard work, their unity, their general attitude and love for the game, would not have changed, no matter the outcome, no matter the score. But it was such a pleasure, such an honor to take the trophy from Hancock’s A.D. (and my former student and softball scorekeeper from my days as a Tiger) and hand it to the most deserving group of young women with whom it’s been my pleasure to associate.

Well done, ladies. Couldn’t be happier for you reaping your deserved reward. With or without the trophy, you are champions! Look for Tourney pix tomorrow or Monday (after a short practice to prep for our last game against Cor Jesu on Tuesday) after I get a chance to download them. Oh, our record, you ask? 21-2.

Making Mush of the Huskies: Webster 17, Ritenour 2

It wasn’t pretty, particularly, but we walked, then ran, our way to our first (JV) conference championship when the “other” orange and black, the Ritenour Huskies, paid us a visit. If they were impressed by our reputation, they declined to show it and were aggressive in the first inning, using a walk and a couple misplays on a bunt to score their first two runs.

Turns out it was also their last two. Despite lots of base runners on walks, there were no hits against our two pitchers, Nicola Rikand, who picked up her second victory, and Taylor Knapp who closed out the game.

We didn’t generate a lot of hits, either, managing only 5 in our almost 4 innings of play. Three of those were of the extra base variety, including loud triples from our CF combo, Jessica Peterson and Rebekah Riefle and a bases clearing 3-run double from Nicola to cap a 9-run first inning, the last 7 of which came with two outs. The last three also came with two outs in the bottom of the fourth and brought the game to an early finish via the 15-run rule.

Most of our offense was given to us, with an uncharacteristic 7 walks (plus a hit batsman) from the Huskies hurler; those passes were supplemented with another 7 reached on error gifts and at least a half dozen wild pitches or passed balls, allowing runs to score. As crisp as yesterday’s game was, this felt different, even if it generated the expected outcome.

The best part of the game? That our girls supported their teammates throughout, cheering each other on with a team-first attitude. As Jack Buck used to say, “Now, that’s a winner!”

We’ll see everyone Saturday on Field 2 at Affton Athletic at 7:15, with an 8 a.m. start time, as we look to extend our winning streak for three more games past its current 7 and continue to grow our 18-2 record.

Pioneers at a Loss. Webster 7, Kirkwood 0

If the Pioneers of Kirkwood thought we had gained a lucky win in our last meeting, they might be rethinking.

After our last game, in our post-game autopsy, I told the girls that even though we had won, “The good news is, we can play better.” Today we showed that. Coach Cerutti echoed the thoughts of the coaching staff when he told the girls, “This didn’t look like a JV team.” We looked like a good softball team, one that knows how to play the game and does it the right way.

Adding to the perpetual pleasure of defeating the red and white of the ‘Wood was that it happened on “Sophomore Day,” when the freshmen took time out to honor (and generate hugs and more than a few tears from) the leadership corps that has helped make this such a special team, a true team in every sense of the word. We have 14 softball players, and they proved it today, with support for each other and a love for the game. And now, yes, really truly, we did set the Webster record for JV victories, notching #17 (eclipsing last year’s 16-win season) behind Kelly Collins’s shutout, 5 RBI from Nicola Rikand and Hannah Jansen, and some great defense, especially the Right Side Leatherettes of Megan Hayes, Maya Litton and Jessica Peterson.

When people asked me how we were going to be this year, my standard response was, “Remember how good we were last year? I think we’re going to be better.” Thankfully, the girls proved me right. We plan to keep the winning streak going tomorrow as we take on the Huskies of Ritenour for the conference title. That game will give us a chance to show off our depth once again, building out experience levels for the weekend tournament.

We finish up our season next Tuesday with ice cream at Serendipity after the game. Sweet finish to a sweet season.

Okay, I wasn’t going to add more pix because it’s late and I’m working tomorrow and I still haven’t printed out the lineup, but I went through them and just couldn’t let them not see blog-life. Pay particular attention, if you would, to the 5-picture sequence on a sacrifice bunt -- so many things being done right, including back-up coverage by JP. So many things to smile about and I’m still sitting on another 100 + shots.