Things got off to a good start for the Newberry softball team on Wednesday night.
Riding the momentum of the program’s first district title in 26 years, the host Panthers scored a run in the bottom of the first inning for an early 1-0 lead.
However, Cornerstone Charter Academy (Belle Isle) scored 10 unanswered runs in an 11-2 win in the FHSAA Class 2A-Region 2 Quarterfinals.
The loss ended Newberry’s season at 20-6 under first-year head coach Michele Roundtree.
“Definitely some miscues,” Roundtree said. “I think we had a pretty good game plan, but I don’t think we stuck to it as well as I would have liked. I think there were a lot of emotions involved.”
The Panthers got some good fortune in the bottom of the first when leadoff hitter Gracie Mattson grounded out to shortstop, but Ducks’ pitcher Bekah Mitchell (7 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 7 K) was called for an illegal pitch.
Mattson returned to the box and the senior got on base with a bunt single, followed by another bunt by senior Malana Kennard, who reached on a throwing error by the first baseman on the play.
Mattson then scored on an RBI single to left field by left fielder Tristan Layfield (2-for-3, DBL, RBI, RS).
“Tristan is just a freshman, and she has so many tools in her toolbox,” Roundtree said. “She works hard. She’s a great kid all around, and I’m glad I get to have her for a few more years…being able to slap hard that way, a power slapper, as well as a quick bunter, and she’s the fastest on the team. She did her job tonight.”
Senior Sarah Priester also had a bunt single in the inning.
“We knew they wouldn’t be fully ready with us bunting the ball,” Roundtree said. “We kind of had a plan that if the pitch was there, we were going to drop one, and that really worked in the first inning.”
Three of their six hits came in the opening frame.
But then Newberry self-imploded.
In the top of the second inning, CCA designated player Kaitlyn Tracy had a soft pop-up to Newberry senior first baseman Maddie Krecker, who dropped the ball.
Tracy walked and scored a couple of batters later on an error by Kennard to tie the game at 1-1.
“Unfortunately, it’s like you get that gut feeling when you’re a coach, like that’s going to come back to get us,” Roundtree said. “Sometimes, it just doesn’t go your way.”
It proved to be the difference in the game as CCA scored the only runs it needed in the second inning.
Following a sacrifice bunt, Jaelyn Phillips and Kenzie Boisvert had consecutive RBI singles off starting pitcher Sarah Burns to extend it to a 3-1 lead.
An error at first base to start the fourth inning opened the door again for a big inning.
The Ducks (19-9) sent eight batters to the plate and scored five runs on four hits, including the first of two two-run home runs by CCA sophomore Emma Pynes (3-for-4, 2 HRs, 4 RBI, 2 RS).
“Softball is crazy,” Roundtree said. “We had one of the best defensive games of the season in the district championship game, and I think probably our worst defensive game tonight, and I couldn’t tell you the reason for that. It just wasn’t our best night. Usually, we can put the bat on the ball and kind of answer for anything. I’ve got to give credit to their team. They hit the ball.”
It marked the final game in a Newberry uniform for Mattson, Kennard, Priester, and Krecker.
“I am very proud of my team and what they accomplished,” Roundtree said. “But my seniors are a special group of young women and what they have contributed to the school is making softball more than just a sport we offer at Newberry. They turned it into a program.”
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to include an additional quote
FHSAA softball state playoffs
(teams in the Mainstreet coverage area in bold)
All games at 7 p.m. unless noted otherwise
Tuesday, May 6
Class 4A-Region 1 Quarterfinals
3 Columbia (Lake City) 16, 6 Escambia (Pensacola) 0
Wednesday, May 7
Class 2A-Region 2 Quarterfinals
4 Cornerstone Charter Academy (Belle Isle) 11, 5 Newberry 2
2 Trinity Catholic (Ocala) 4, 7 Keystone Heights 2
Class 3A-Region 1 Quarterfinals
6 Suwannee (Live Oak) at 3 West Nassau (Callahan), ppd. in the sixth inning due to rain (0-0)
Class 3A-Region 2 Quarterfinals
7 The Villages 4, 2 Santa Fe (Alachua) 1
