Missed opportunities haunt Watkins in tough state softball setback
AKRON ― Even as his Watkins Memorial softball team continued on another memorable journey to a third consecutive state tournament, coach Mike Jellison kept looking for a big two-out hit.
He knew the second-ranked Warriors would eventually need one, and it turned out to be gospel in Friday morning's Division I state semifinal showdown in Akron's Firestone Stadium against third-ranked Anthony Wayne.
Unfortunately for Watkins, it never materialized. The Warriors (28-2) couldn't take advantage of an uncharacteristic four errors by the Generals (28-3) and left eight on base in a frustrating 2-1 loss, which saw a third-inning solo homer by Wayne junior catcher Trinity Nowicki stand as the game-winner.
"We thought coming in it would probably be a one-run game, and knew there would be two good pitchers going, regardless of who they started," Jellison said. "We talked about playing clean on defense, and we did. We had people on base in every inning (but the seventh), but we just couldn't get any more runs across. It just wasn't our day."
The Generals started sophomore Molly Conner, but she lasted just four batters as Watkins quickly jumped ahead 1-0. Leadoff batter Jordyn Wycuff doubled to deep center and scored on a throwing error off Taylor Gerhardt's bunt. Maleya Thompson lined to short, which ended up a double play, and then Cortney Dobbs walked. In response, coach Ronald Myers went to senior ace Brooklyn Patchen. She struck out McKayla Jellison and pitched 6.1 scoreless innings.
"Our players showed up with grit today, and when we lost 11-5 two years ago to them, we didn't show up," Myers said. "Watkins is a great team that is well coached, with great hitting and great pitching. We have four college-caliber pitchers, and we relied on our ace. She took the game over and rocked it. And our defense stepped up."
Added Creighton commit Patchen: "I was well-prepared to come in at any moment. Whether it was the fifth inning or seventh, I was going to be ready."
Despite the errors, the Generals still made big plays and will try to win their second state title at 3 p.m. Saturday against unbeaten Austintown Fitch (21-0), which blanked Lebanon 3-0.
Meanwhile, Warriors' junior ace Carsyn Cassady was lights out over the final three innings, allowing just one baserunner and recording five of her 10 strikeouts in a four-hitter. But Wayne broke through in the second and third innings, and it proved to be enough.
Cassady walked two in the first, but escaped. In the second, Teya Marshall was hit by a pitch with two out, Conner singled and Abby Kennelly grounded an RBI single to left past a drawn-in infield. Cassady walked another hitter, but she avoided further damage and never issued another free pass. However, cleanup batter Nowicki deposited a 2-0 fastball well over the left-center field fence leading off the third for the 2-1 lead, and final score.
Coach Jellison was not surprised to see Cassady bear down after that.
"When she gets angry, she throws harder and seems to have more command," he said.
In a crucial Watkins second, freshman Alli Langwasser had a leadoff walk, and the Warriors put runners at second and third with none out after Patchen threw away Ava McKee's sacrifice bunt. But she struck out Christina Kilkenny, Nowicki picked Langwasser off third off a missed bunt attempt, and Patchen fanned Kyliee Trouten, ending the threat.
"We had a freshman at third base there, but we have to get the bunt down," coach Jellison said. "We were successful four times with that play in the regional final, and two times in the regional semifinal. We just didn't execute."
In the fourth, McKee singled to right with two outs, and with home plate uncovered, tried to score on a throwing error by the second baseman on Kilkenny's grounder. However, the Generals got the ball to Nowicki in plenty of time, and she easily tagged out McKee. Jellison said he tried to stop her. "But it was loud, and she may not have heard me there," he said.
Nowicki was surprised to see the runner coming.
"But she was only about halfway, and I thought, 'You know, I think I can get there,' " she said.
With one out in the fifth, Wycuff singled and Gerhardt sacrificed her to second. Myers then decided to intentionally walk Thompson, who had singled hard to center in her second bat. It turned out to be key, as Patchen struck out Dobbs.
"She (Thompson) is a great hitter, and we even thought about doing it a second time," Myers said. "But she (Patchen) didn't want to."
Patchen allowed three hits, struck out six and walked three.
Coach Jellison brought senior captains Gerhardt, McKayla Jellison and Kilkenny to the season-ending press conference, a tribute to the fact that they were unbeaten in the Licking County League, went 90-6 overall and reached the state each of their final three seasons.
Gerhardt was playing with an injured left hand, but there was no way she was sitting this one out.
"I had not practiced hitting, and when I swing, I could feel the pain," she said. "But eventually, adrenaline took over, and I did not feel it."
McKayla Jellison said there's a reason the Warriors have made three consecutive appearances in Firestone Stadium.
"It's always our goal to get here, and three years in a row is amazing," she said. "We work so hard, every day, and it's proof that the hard work is paying off."
Their coach said the seniors would probably be back in the weight room on Monday, dragging the eighth graders in there with them.
"It's the culture we've built," he said. "Next year, it will be Jordyn (Wycuff), Carsyn (Cassady), Ava (McKee) and Cortney (Dobbs) as the seniors leading the way and holding everyone accountable."
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Missed opportunities haunt Watkins in tough state softball setback
