Pioneers Axe the Statesmen, 13-5

We knew going in that this might be a tough contest. We had seen enough of Kirkwood this summer – and the past several years – to know that they had talent and coaching, a growing program that has closely paralleled our own. Add to that the long-standing (friendly, characterized by respect and sportsmanship) rivalry, well, it was going to be a big day.

Except for one bad (terrible, horrible, no good very bad) inning, we played even with that strong Kirkwood team. However, those were mistakes of execution, not preparation, not attitude, and they didn’t diminish our approach to the rest of the game. Olivia Leaver kept her cool on a hot day, just taking the ball and firing strikes. Another game with no walks from her. Nic Rikand finished out the last two innings with a solid effort in the circle, as well.

Maddie Keefer put us ahead, briefly with a bases clearing double and a 5-2 lead. She also was robbed twice by the left fielder. Caitlyn Boyd (POG) defied the Pioneers to throw her out and they couldn’t, not at first, not at second, not at third. Only a great diving catch by the Kirkwood backstop deprived her of a perfect day. 

I don’t know how many games we will win this weekend, next week, this year. But given what we saw today, I’m optimistic that we’ll see improvement game after game, week after week, and I’m looking forward to seeing that happen.

Marko sets up to receive one of the many strikes thrown by....

One of my favorite moments in every game is when the IF gathers around their pitcher.

Nikola Rikand finished out the game with a strong two inning performance.

Bailey Allen forces the Pioneer runner back to second, backing up the throw back to the pitcher.

Caitlyn Boyle not only sparked the offense with 2 hits and 2 runs, but added a catch in RF.

Endangered Panthers. WG 18, Mehlville1

The black panther is not an endangered species, at least in part because it’s not its own distinct species. But the Mehlville Panthers softball program, based on what I’ve seen over the past decade or so, seems a likely candidate for the Endangered Species list. The high school didn’t even bother to prep the softball field this season because they’re building a new baseball field for next year that the softball girls will be allowed to share.

I can’t remember the last competitive game we’ve had with Mehlville and this year’s contest easily extended that streak after an 18-1 drubbing, with one-third of our outs coming from leaving the base early. I’m especially proud of our girls for embodying our “Win with class, lose with class” mantra, respecting the Mehlville players while not changing our approach in the field, on the base paths, or in the batter’s box. We even took good at bats against a pitcher so slow (and wild) that it was a challenge. Just a few pics from our game today, because, well, 18-1.

An even bigger challenge is our Thursday game against Kirkwood’s Pioneers at home, and we’re looking forward to a short, but fast-paced practice tomorrow to prepare. See you at the field.

Olivia Leaver picked up her third win in the circle, no walks again.

Just your usual 5-6 force out at second base. No, we don't shift. We also had a 2-4-9-4 DP.

Jilly Sanders took three good at bats with solid contact, but eventually didn't get enough strikes, settleing for walks.

Bailey Allen makes a clean pick and throw to get the out at first.

Morgan Lawrence played both left side IF positions, here throws out a Panther at first in the third inning.

Come From Away* --WG 18, PB 12

Apologies for the tardiness of this entry. Family obligations with lots of out of town cousins in for the interment of my aunt and uncle’s ashes in the Smith Sturdy Cemetery were complicated by the addition of this Saturday contest.

Watching the Poplar Bluff squad warm up, it appeared we would have our hands full, might even be a bit overmatched, especially after a rather ragged pregame of our own.

Pre-game style points don’t carry over on the scoreboard, however, and despite our being too slow in response to their opening short game salvo, we held the Mules to a single run in the first and used our speed and aggressive base running to counter with 7 of our own. It appeared that the opposition’s 3-hour drive might not have been worth it. To their credit, Poplar Bluff refused to quit, scoring in every inning until the sixth, and closing the run gap to just 2 runs going into the bottom of the fifth inning.

Olivia Leaver restored order at the end of the game, holding PB (no J) to just 2 runs over the last three innings to record both the win and a save. Orange call ups Faith Lowry and OP (Olivia Perry) both contributed to the win, as did every other player in uniform for the contest, whether afield, on the bases, or in the batter’s box. Truly a team win, and, while not as crisply played as we might want (despite only two official errors in the box score), we always regained our composure and kept the wheels from coming off.

POG Morgan Lawrence had 4 hits and an equal number of RBI and stolen bases, Taylor Smith, Emmy Gary, Olivia Perry (triples) and Olivia Leaver (double) all added extra base hits, while Caitlyn Boyle and Ally Marshall showed that the slap/bunt game is a two-edged sword that can be used by both sides. All in all a satisfying, if not particularly expeditious, victory over a dogged opponent.
    This week’s schedule features @Mehlville on Tuesday and a visit from Kirkwood’s Pioneers on Thursday, then an early morning (6:30 in front of Roberts) bus ride to the challenging FZW Tournament on Saturday. (Look for the brackets, directions, and tournament protocols for that event tonight.)

*Come From Away is an excellent musical (played the Fox last year, about the response of a small town in Nova Scotia to all the planes diverted there on 9-11-01) that I highly recommend if you get the opportunity. While it has nothing to do with softball, it seemed an apt article title given the home locale of our opponents.

"O" earned both her second victory and first save of the season, pitching 5 innings, allowing only 5 runs.

Marko guided the action from behind the plate, added a hit and two walks to the offense.

Taylor Smith had two hits, including a triple, and was solid at short.

Maci Rekart played the entire game at first base, added a hit in her only plate appearance, a short off the 3B's glove.

Morgan Lawrence earned her second POG honor, with strong defense, 4 hits, RBI and stolen bases.

Ally Marshal continues to grow as a slapper bunter, reaching base three times, and closed well on a dying quail in CF to close out an inning and threat.

Friday Graning was solid again at 2B, offers flexibility in her ability to play almost anywhere.

O gets support from her IF to start the game.

Pioneer Revenge: Kirkwood 6, Webster 5

Sorry this is late. I needed time to decompress, not just from this game but the season – which is kind of still ongoing. Congrats to the varsity for their thrilling 2-1 (10 inning) win over the SJA Angels (who apparently abandoned them) in the first round of the district tournament.

So how much sleep did I lose after this season-ending loss? Well, some, for sure. Lots of “What ifs….” some involving coaching decisions (Might there have been a better order? Should I have walked that #8 batter {who was really the Pioneer #4 who was late to the game} in the bottom of the seventh? Should I have put some pressure on with a couple 1-out bunts?), some involving umpiring (over which I have no control, but when the Kirkwood coach notes on what would have been Strike 3 “that’s been a strike all day [and it had been]” that then turned into a flared windy single by the eventual tying run with 2 out….

Despite Myah King serving as a one-woman wrecking crew (4 for 4 and her fifth shot over the boards into a strong wind), Caitlyn Boyle giving her those runs to drive home, and stalwart pitching from TK, Kirkwood kept creating new paths to tie the score and eventually push across the winning run in one of the most exciting games of the year.

Well, turnabout is fair play and Kirkwood scored two in the bottom of the seventh to erase the run we scored in the top of that inning to regain the lead, ending our winning streak at 10 games and sending us to Serendipity with a final record of 20-2, which looks pretty darn good when you see it in black and white. And if you’d told Coach Cerutti and me in August that we could “settle” for 20-2 or take our chances, I’m pretty sure we would have said we could “settle.”

But we also wouldn’t have wanted to miss this season with these girls, no matter the record. You can look for a season wrap up later this weekend or early next week, but this was my message in the post-mortem and the fitting last words for the last regular blog post of 2018: “I.Love.This.Team.”

Finishing Strong: WG 17, Lutheran South 0

We looked to this game against the Lancers as a tune-up for tomorrow’s tilt against the Pioneers at Kirkwood, and the chance to maybe give some Orange players a shot at time to make up for a game they missed due to band obligations.

It all worked to perfection. Because I was subbing and wanted to save my favors to ride the bus tomorrow, Coach Cerutti took over the bus duties and I didn’t arrive until after stretches. I had wanted to tell the girls to play this game like it was Kirkwood, with the same intensity, the same drive that they will bring to the field tomorrow. I didn’t get the chance, but, turns out, it wasn’t necessary, because that’s exactly the approach they took, not only to this game, but every game. The three Orange players who came along fit right in when they got their chance (and they all got at least an AB) and will bring their energy with them and to us tomorrow.

With Nic Rikand in the circle, we dominated every aspect of the game and she picked up her third victory. TK closed out the game to get her work in and be ready for tomorrow. We adjusted quickly, hit the ball hard, ran the bases aggressively (Caitlyn Boyd upped her stolen base total with two bags to eclipse Olivia Weik’s JV record of 34, with one game to play), and fielded cleanly, including a drop step and retreat on a fly ball in the sun by our flex, Lydia (Lids) Beggs, who looked like she played LF every day. The Lancer hits were basically of the infield variety and Marko erased the first when the runner had the temerity to try to steal on her – not even close.

That’s about all I have (not even sure I have a worthy picture, but haven’t had time to check as I write this before heading to bed). If it’s there, well, great. If not, you’ll have to be content with the box score. See you at KHS tomorrow for a good game and a fitting finish to a tremendous year.