Trinity Episcopal advances to softball semis with 1-0 win
Their margin for error was miniscule.
One inexpertly delivered pitch, errant throw, muffed ground ball, misplayed fly, or well-directed swing of the bat was all it would take for the Trinity Episcopal Titans’ razor-thin lead over visiting Bishop Ireton to vanish into the cool, late-afternoon air in the VISAA, Division I quarterfinal softball game Tuesday.
There in the pitcher’s circle stood freshman righthander Cooper Beatty, and, though the weight of expectation was upon her, she appeared calm, composed, and totally unfazed by the fact that the Cardinals had runners on second and third with two outs in the top of the seventh and all eyes at McGee Field were peering directly at her.
Then, one strikeout later, it was over.
Coach Christy Darlington’s crew, the No. 4 seed, could exhale, finally, and celebrate its well-earned 1-0 victory and the opportunity to face No. 1 St. Catherine’s in the state semifinals Friday at 6 p.m. at the Dinwiddie Sports Complex.
Beatty, when the outcome weighed in the balance, had delivered.
No sweat. Right?
Well, actually…
“It was really nerve-wracking,” she said following the Titans’ post-game debriefing in short rightfield. “I tried not to show that with my body language. I had to stay positive. I knew runners were in scoring position, but I knew my team had my back, so I tried to just go with the flow.”
Beatty, already a two-time All-League of Independent Schools honoree, allowed just two hits and two walks and struck out six.
Of her 108 pitches, 67 were strikes. Her teammates supported her with errorless play in the field.
Ireton’s Ciara Funk, a senior righthander, was effective in the circle as well.
She allowed just two hits, struck out four, walked just one, and, for much of the game, received strong support from her fielders.
Of her 80 pitches, 59 were strikes.
Three ill-timed errors were the No. 5 Cardinals’ undoing.
Beatty led off the fourth with a shot to shortstop that was ruled an error, then moved to second on Lauren Fischi’s sacrifice bunt.
A throwing error enabled her to advance to third; she then scored on a wild pitch.
“I got down 0-and-2,” Beatty said. “I wasn’t trying to get a big hit. I was just trying to see the ball. My goal was just to get in scoring position. When they threw over (in the pickoff attempt), I just tried to get to third as fast as I could.
“Then, I saw the (wild pitch), and I went. We needed to score. It was just reaction and wanting to win.”
With an 11-player roster that includes two 8th graders, five freshmen, two sophomores, and two seniors, the Titans opened the season 2-5, improved slightly to 5-7 in late April, and now reside at 9-8.
It’s been no easy journey.
“I’ve been on the team since 8th grade, so I’ve seen every age aspect of this team,” said Ainsley McNeer, a senior centerfielder and All-LIS selection. “We’ve always been a team that really bonded, so this year we had work hard to bring all these younger players together.
“They knew each other outside of softball, but Taylor (Hamilton, the other senior) and I didn’t know them, so it was a challenge to make the team cohesive.”
How did the Titans’ camaraderie evolve?
“A lot of these players play travel ball, so they get a lot of reps off season, and that helped,” McNeer said. “It took adjustment because of the different age groups, but based off this game, we’ve done a good job of pulling it together.”
Proof positive was the Titans’ resilience and next-player-up mentality when Funk, with her effective rise ball, gave them very little they could hit solidly.
“This shows a lot about how far we’ve developed as a team,” said Hamilton, the Titans’ left fielder. “Like Ms. Darlington said (in the post-game talk), she’s seen a lot of growth, and we really look like a family out here.”
Which played well in the deciding, game-on moment.
“We all kept our composure,” Hamilton added. “If we made a mistake, we had to flush it and remember that we were still a team and were playing not for ourselves but for everyone.”
St. Catherine’s (17-2) will present much tougher competition than Bishop Ireton (17-10) did.
The Saints have defeated the Titans three times this season by a combined score of 31-0.
Still…
“In the beginning, it was hard when the new people outnumbered the veterans,” said Darlington. “We struggled a little bit, but the team trusted us, the coaches figured it out, and the players bought in. This is a testament to how hard they work in practice, how well they listen, and how they just want to be better.
“This (game with St. Catherine’s) is an opportunity. You’d think we’d be tucking tail and running, but they’re excited. They’re young, they’re enthusiastic, they’re optimistic, and I think our future is bright.”
