After opening the District 1-AAAA softball tournament with a win against West Ridge and then losing to Dobyns-Bennett, David Crockett needs to win two straight games to secure a region berth.
The host Pioneers were scheduled to play Science Hill in an elimination game on Tuesday (May 9).
Crockett defeated West Ridge 6-1 on Friday. Freshman shortstop Brylee Tullock gave the Pioneers (17-15) a 2-1 lead with a two-run home run in the third inning and Avery Hope threw the knockout punch with a fifth-inning grand slam.
“It was a big win,” David Crockett coach Carla Weems said. “And we didn’t hit the ball very well. We just got the hits with runners in scoring position. … Avery and Brylee had the big hits.”
Tullock’s blast to left field allowed the Pioneers to exhale. Trailing in postseason games fills a dugout with tension.
“Brylee’s one that wants to win,” Weems said, “and she’ll do whatever she can to help her team win.”
So did Karly Honeycutt. She pitched a complete-game victory. She struck out five and walked four while allowing seven hits against the Wolves (19-20-2).
“Karly pitched a complete game and she did a great job,” Weems said. “He (umpire) wasn’t giving her a lot outside, so we had to kind of adjust that. But she pitched great. She really held it together and finished that game.”
Dobyns-Bennett put Crockett in the losers’ bracket on Monday with a 9-3 win. Catie Zani had three RBIs for the Indians (21-9-2), who were scheduled to play top-seeded Daniel Boone in the winners’ bracket final on Tuesday (May 9) at 5 p.m. Boone got a bye to that spot in the bracket.
Julianne Tipton got a complete-game victory for the Indians. She allowed seven hits.
Tullock and Hope each had two hits for the Pioneers.
“Avery and Brylee both had two hits against Dobyns-Bennett, but we didn’t have a whole lot of bright spots,” Weems said. “I will say Karly Honeycutt came in the third inning and she only gave up one run. And we’d made a couple of errors when Cara (Wilson) was pitching.
“And we weren’t patient at the plate and we ended up swinging at a lot of balls and having nine strikeouts, whereas last time we played them I think we had 14 hits off of Julianne. So we just didn’t hit the ball.”
Beating Science Hill and what figures to be Dobyns-Bennett again in the losers’ bracket final to get to the region is a realistic goal. The Pioneers have had success against each of those teams.
“It is doable,” Weems said. “I know the girls are capable. It’s getting the focus. And sometimes that’s been our biggest enemy this year – not focused on the game ahead. It’s looking over things or looking past things or just not coming focused. I know if I get the team that’s focused we’ll be fine.
“But I know that Science Hill’s gonna battle and they’re not gonna quit. They’re not gonna lay down and roll over. So we’re gonna have to play ball.”
