MVK A Team Softball has won the IESA Single A Region 1 Championship
Regional Semifinals:
Lady Mavericks 11, Waterman Indian Creek 1
Morgan Starwalt (2-4, 2B, R, RBI), Brynlee Hunt (3-4, 2Rs, 3RBIs, 2SBs), and Grace Biros (2-3, RBI, 2SBs) led the way for MVK as the Lady Mavs opened up an 8-0 lead after 2 innings. Hunt and Brooklyn Sheedy both plated runs with RBI singles in the first. Hunt, Ameliah Weber, and Biros all had RBI singles in the second. Starwalt toed the rubber for MVK and held the Timberwolves scoreless through two with the help of some great situational defense, catching a runner between 3rd Base and Home on a stolen base attempt of second, with Kaydynce Wardlow tagging out the runner trying to advance home for the 3rd out in the second frame. In the third, Indian Creek scratched for an unearned run with Addison Kilmer making a good catch in right field to help stem the Timberwolves’ effort. But in the Maverick’s half, Marlie Lissy led off with a double, advanced to third base on a passed ball and later scored on a Hunt groundout to increase the Maverick lead to back to 8. The Maverick defense held tough through five, allowing no more runs while Starwalt struck out a pair. All outs in Waterman’s half of the 5th were plays by Weber at third base. In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Lady Mavericks struck again with no outs as Starwalt doubled home Casey Humphrey who had walked earlier for a 10-1 lead. Later in the inning, MVK finished the game by run rule when Wardlow singled home pinch runner Lyla Wilkinson for the final score. Starwalt pitched the complete game and allowed no earned runs, while striking out 6 for the win.
Regional Championship:
Lady Mavericks 15, Serena 3
For the Regional Championship, MVK was paired with the Huskers for a rematch of a game played just ten days earlier, but this time in Mazon. MVK left no doubt in this contest early as Morgan Starwalt started the game with a scoreless frame in the first, striking out two. The Lady Mavs then jumped on the Huskers in the bottom of the frame for 10 runs as they nearly batted around twice. Big contributions were by many in this inning, but of note were Kaydynce Wardlow with an RBI triple to the fence her first go and then an RBI single in her second at bat, Marlie Lissy with 2 singles with 2 runs and and 2RBIs in the inning, Ameliah Weber with an RBI double in her second at bat of the inning, and Grace Biros with an RBI single, later scoring. Serena attempted to respond in the second with a couple of walks and then an RBI single to center with two outs, but the Maverick defense was strong again as the Huskers tried to push a second run across on same play, but a solid throw from Kenley Kruger and subsequent strong relay from Lissy allowed Wardlow to stop the threat with a tagout at home for the third out. MVK then responded with three more in the bottom of the second to extend the lead to twelve. Brynlee Hunt had the big blow with a two RBI double in the frame. Serena fell silent in their half of the third, while the Lady Mavs plated another with a second Biros RBI single. Serena scored two unearned in the top of the fourth to make the score 14-3, but MVK ended it in the bottom of the inning when Hunt tagged up and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Weber. Offensive leaders for the game were Lissy (2-2, 2BBs, 3Rs, 2RBIs, SB), Hunt (3-3, 2B, 3B, BB, 3Rs, 3RBIs), Wardlow (2-3, 3B, BB, 2RBIs), Biros (2-2, BB, 2Rs, 2RBIs). Starwalt pitched the complete game, surrendering only 1ER, while striking out 4 in the victory.
The Mavericks A Softball Team heads into 1A Sectional A competition as Regional Champions with a 13-3 record and face the McNabb Putnam County Pumas for a trip to State in Normal, Illinois – beginning September 21st.
