Rival Redux: Webster 10, Kirkwood 9

   Darn those Pioneers! This well-coached team (we get to play them again later in the season) refused to quit, came back to not only tie, but take the lead – twice! But guess who else refused to quit – the Statesmen! Even after K-wood scored in the top of the 8^th to go up 7-6, our team willed itself to a victory.

I am tired, but not so lazy that I can’t write new copy. The above paragraph is from LAST YEAR’s game against Kirkwood’s Pioneers (which ended 8-7; this year’s score was 10-9). What’s that expression, “Déjà vu all over again”? That’s what Kirkwood’s coach thought. In many ways, this was high school softball at its finest. The umpires concurred. “Best game I’ve had this year,” said both of them. Rival programs battling it out with heart and respect for their opponent. Sportsmanship prevailing (and isn’t sportsmanship essentially respect?).

Of course, in other ways, this was our most poorly played game of the year (I was going to say “arguably” but there really was no argument when I opened the post-mortem with, “Nice win, ladies, but we kind of sucked.”). Lots of mistakes on the field and on the bases (and one could argue in the 3^rd base coaching box). But the character of this team was revealed by its attitude (r-e-s-p-e-c-t) toward each other; no slumped shoulders, no pointed fingers, no recrimination, no cliquey huddles, just whose turn to pick us up? What fun to watch, what fun to coach.

Highlights? You want highlights? Yes, there were a few, and, then again, not too few to mention. Caitlyn Boyle (Yes, I’m going to bunt. What are you going to do about it?) had four hits and made two nice catches in RF (plus always being in the right place on throws to 1B). Alyssa Moran added a double and a triple to her extra base hit collection. Myah King cleared the fence by plenty for her third HR – no pressure, just the bottom of the seventh down by a run – which generated her third intentional walk (that HAS to be a JV record) when she came up in the eighth. Get used to it Myah. That loaded the bases, thanks to two well-worked walks by our 8 and 9-hole batters, “Lids” Beggs and “Friday” Graning.

Intentional walks don’t work if there’s protection behind the hitter, and for the second game in a row, “Marko” made the opposition pay, this time with a bases clearing bolt to the right center gap to drive in the walk off winner (It would have been yet another triple for her, but we only needed two runs, and I would guess she’s probably pretty happy getting credit of a double.) Shortstop Nicola Rikand made an eye-popping dive and throw to get the Pioneer leadoff batter in the top of the eighth, helping to limit their damage to just one run. And TK notched her 13^th win in the circle, keeping her composure (and helping her teammates keep theirs) despite 6 unearned runs.

Another team win. Going into “Sophomore Day” next Tuesday against Pattonville, our record stands at 13-1. We also have Lindbergh’s Flyers at home on Wednesday and travel to Bug Heaven (Northwest Cedar Hill – scouting report says, “Pack the Deet”) on Thursday. The latter two games are both winnable and losable and each should provide another good test. Whether we prevail or not, we now know this Statesmen team will not quit. And thanks to Karen Smith for these great pix!

That score is about to change in the bottom of the seventh. A no-doubter, "She Gone!" (apologies to the Hawk Harrelson)

Myah King gets her deserved Hero's welcome after belting her third home in two games.

What happens when you walk Myah King? Marko happens -- to the fence in right center for a walk off winner!

And another deserved hero's welcome. But these girls also know that none of this happens without the work of their teammates who created the opportunity for victory.

Walk Off Winner! Webster 8, Eureka 7

If you had predicted we’d have two wins in the first week without playing Lindbergh (rescheduled Oct. 3), I’d have said, “Well, thanks, I hope you’re right.” I don’t think I’d have believed the prediction, though. I would have hoped  you were right, but….

Well, good for you. You were right (assuming you actually made that prediction). But even before we walked off this win with a 2-run seventh inning, I felt like this was a winner. So did the umpires. In a break between innings, the more veteran of the pair told his rookie partner (behind the plate) that he was lucky to be getting such a good JV game for his first time. “Solid play, sportsmanlike behavior. It’s not always like that.” (If you haven’t read the article by Michelle Munz in the Post today about the officiating crisis, it’s worth your while. Technically it’s about football, but applies to all sports. Full disclosure, this reporter is the mom of one of my granddaughter’s best friends.) {Link: https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/friday-night-lights-on-thursday-as-schools-struggle-to-find/article_804f1a1b-b74c-5c64-b149-5adcbe169018.html} Had the final score actually been 7-6 in favor of Eureka, we would have still been pleased. 

But I actually did believe, as did the girls, that we would win this game when we went to the bottom of the seventh down by only a run, thanks to getting through the top of the frame facing 2-3-4 unscathed, thanks, in part, to Nora Marcikiewicz’s first nab of a base thief. Hitchhikers Guide to Galaxy Rule #1: Don't Panic.

Venus (Flytrap) Moran started off the bottom of the seventh (against a pitcher who has pitched for their varsity) with her second base hit and moved to second, then was driven home with the tying run by Myah King’s ripped double down the LF line. Myah (who had again channeled her inner Bader by scoring from second on a dribbler) then scored the walk-off winner as Marko (Marcinkiewicz) battled in an AB that forced the Wildcats into an error.

So many highlights, including Ivy Clark’s yard shot in the first, followed by two more runs, let Eureka know they were going to have a contest. Solid defense, tough at bats (only 5 Ks in the game), and controlled pitching from Taylor Knapp kept things close until we could add on with two runs in the fifth. Eureka’s 3-spot in the top of the seventh only set the stage for the walk off drama.

We were down players due to absence and illness (thanks to freshman Maddie Keefer for grabbing a uni and offerering us some insurance), but the bench was as loud as our 14-player unit from last year who were known for their enthusiasm and support for their teammates. We coaches are loving how this team is coming together for each other and developing their own softball family. Come see us at home on Tuesday against Mehlville. “You’ll like the way we look” [and sound, and play, and….]

But for now, enjoy the pictures from Andrew Graning and Maddie Keefer.

Ivy Clark is congratulated on her bomb to put the Statesmen up 2-0 in the first inning. 

Emmy Gary connects for her fourth straight hit to start the season.

Sophomore Taylor (Friday) Graning did a good job at second base with two put outs and two assists.

Don't forget we had salsa in the dugout before the game. This is what a team looks like.

Myah King is a threat on offense and defense as she learns a new position, third base.

Catcher Nora (Marko) Marcinkiewicz didn't get this runner, but she dot the one in the seventh to send us to the bottom of the inning only one run down.

Taylor (Salsa Queen) Knapp has walked only one batter in her 12 innings, is now 2-0. 

Alyssa (Venus Flytrap) Moran is a two way player, outstanding in CF and reached base on all four ABs in the leadoff spot.

Myah King slides in safely with her second stolen base of 2018.

Zoe Weik got her first opportunity to try out her slapping skills against a tough pitcher.

Defense! Only 1 unearned run today.

The Innies were stout today to back up TK in the circle.

This was the ball that sent Myah King home with the game winner. Marko did a great job of base running, putting pressure on the Wildcat defense -- they blinked, we walked off with a winner.