By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Madi Bentley turned in a masterful pitching performance and Lexy Bridges scored an unearned run as the Diamond softball team beat College Heights 1-0 Thursday in a Class 2 quarterfinal at Sarcoxie.
“This one feels amazing,” Diamond coach Kelsey Parrish said. “It’s the first time in the history of the program we’re going to the Final Four. I just can’t be more proud of the girls and my team.”
The Wildcats took advantage of some defensive miscues by College Heights to score the winning run in the bottom of the second inning.
Bridges reached on a fielder’s choice, Piper Brewer bunted for a single and Leslie Watson reached on an error at second to load the bases for Grace Irwin. But Irwin didn’t even need to swing the bat; an errant throw back to the pitcher allowed Bridges to slide home safely for the game’s only run.
“All season we’ve worked on game-like situations and being in the moment and just taking advantage of the little opportunities and I think it paid off tonight,” Parrish said.
Bentley, a junior, was dominant from the start. She retired the first 12 batters she faced and had seven strikeouts through the first three innings. She didn’t allow a baserunner until walking College Heights’ Madelyn Colin to lead off the fifth, and had a no hitter going until Jayline Johnson doubled with two outs in the sixth.
“Obviously she’s a dominant pitcher,” Parrish said. “She’s a huge leader on our team and tonight she went into the circle and her goal was seven strikeouts but I told her it was just six because we keep telling her that’s not her job to throw strikeouts, her job is to put the ball in play. She’s done an excellent job and hit 200 strikeouts for the year tonight.”
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Bentley doubled her goal for the night, finishing with 14 strikeouts.
“She’s been a dominant pitcher since she was a freshman,” College Heights coach Mike Howard said. “She’s very strong out there. She pitched a great game. This is one of those games you kind of wish you had back but you’ve just got to tip your cap to her, she pitched a masterful game and we just couldn’t get anything going against her.”
Diamond, 20-2, finished with six hits. Bentley tried to help her cause with a leadoff double in the fourth but was stranded. Caitlyn Suhrie singled in the fifth with two outs and eventually made her way to third but was also left on base. Grace Frazier reached on an error in the sixth and Bentley singled, but again the Wildcats were held scoreless.
“I think we’re going to offensively work a little more on our bats,” Parrish said. “We didn’t offensively perform as much as we’d like tonight.”
College Heights starter Colin struck out nine and allowed no earned runs in her six innings of work.
“She’s just been phenomenal as a freshman to come in and be able to have the poise in a game like that when you have a team that’s chanting nonstop and trying to get in your head,” Howard said. “To keep your cool, keep your composure and execute pitches like she did, even when they had runners on base. I can’t say enough about her.”
Thursday was the Cougars first-ever softball quarterfinal game and it came after the team won just three games in its last full season. College Heights finishes with an 18-4 record this spring.
“I knew we had some good talent coming up but they really put together a great season,” Howard said. “We’re not going to let just one game define us. Going from three wins to conference champs, district champs and within one run of what could be the eventual state champion, they have nothing to hang their heads for.”
Diamond will face Potosi (25-3) in the semifinals on May 21 in Springfield. Skyline (22-1) and Kennett (16-8) play in the other semifinal contest.
“This team has been super dedicated,” Parrish said. “Most of them come in and work on Sundays at open fields and take advantage of every little opportunity. I don’t ever have to ask them to stay late, they’re always wanting to stay late. They want those extra reps and I think it’s paid off, we’re in the postseason.”
