Youth Serves Bishop Kelly A State Title
A-2 softball
It could be a long four years for the rest of the state in A-2 softball if Bishop Kelly stays intact.
Knights freshman pitcher Kate Connolly struck out the final two Moscow batters to earn a 3-2 victory in the State A-2 girls fastpitch championship Saturday at Ramsey Park.
The Knights (25-3) became the first official state fastpitch champions. This is the first year that fastpitch has been sanctioned by the Idaho High School Activities Association.
“It’s awesome to know that we’re really the best team in the state, because everyone was here,” Connolly said.
To get into the championship game, Moscow trounced Lakeland 15-5 in a morning game. The Hawks were hurt by five errors that eventually led to the 10-run mercy rule being imposed.
Bishop Kelly holds on
Connolly (15-2), one of the Knights’ two outstanding freshman pitchers, stranded Moscow runners at second base in each of the last two innings to hold off the Bears.
“Both her and Jeniffer Brown are mentally tough pitchers that play way above their years,” Knights coach Wes Worrell said.
After losing a pair of runs on a runner’s interference call in the first inning, Bishop Kelly came back to score a run in the first and two in the fifth on an error and a wild pitch by Heather Griggs.
Moscow scored a pair of runs in the fourth, thanks in part to a rare Bishop Kelly error, but couldn’t take advantage of opportunities late in the game.
“We came ready to play, but we gave them a couple unearned runs that you can’t give to that good a team,” Moscow coach Robin Barnes said.
Lakeland runs out of gas
Pitching her fifth game in three days, Lakeland’s Monica Hall struggled noticeably, and defensive breakdowns didn’t help.
“My arm was tired, and Moscow was ready to play,” Hall said.
The Bears (22-8) had six batters with two hits, and finished off Lakeland (19-7) with a five-run fifth inning. After the game, an emotional Lakeland coach Danielle Bean huddled with the Hawks’ four seniors to say good-bye.
“I’ve been with them for four years, it’s hard to end like this,” Bean said.
Bishop Kelly 3, Moscow 2
Moscow 000 200 0 - 2 5 3
Bishop Kelly 100 020 x - 3 4 1
Connolly and Miller; Griggs and Erin Makus. W - Connolly. L - Griggs.
HITS: Moscow - Kinziger, Maurin, Erin Makus, Mathews 2. Bishop Kelly - Gribble, Chariton 2, Hicks.
Moscow 15, Lakeland 5
Lakeland 221 00x x - 5 5 5
Moscow 430 35x x - 15 13 2
M. Hall and Tweedy; Griggs and Erin Makus. W - Griggs. L - M. Hall.
HITS: Lakeland - Huber, Reisenhauer, Annie Carhart 2, Smith. Moscow - Mathews 2, Kinziger 2, Emy Makus 2, Erin Makus 2, M. Swank 2, Barnes, K. Swank 2. 2B - Carhart. 3B - Erin Makus, M. Swank. HR - Mathews.