Clouded by a mad scramble to get some sort of semi-coherent recap of Friday night’s 5A Division I softball state championship madness (it was actually written in pitch-black darkness since all the lights at Rose Mofford were turned off), some bits of randomness remained:
–The lasting image from this classic for Mesa Red Mountain might be of senior Kayla Ensminger still on third base in a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning. She would have easily scored the winning run had she seen the ball rolling through the infield. But she never saw the ball, realized what could have happened and was livid with herself, though she wisely stayed at third base when she realized what happened.
What can you do?
The lasting image of Ensminger should be of her temporarily saving the season by hitting that two-out double into the gap, and, even more impressive, going 5-for-5 against possibly the best Class 5A pitcher in the state (Basha’s Sam Parlich). It’s a near guarantee nobody has gotten four hits (let alone five) off Parlich in this lifetime.
That was her final high school game, and though she won a championship as a freshman in 2006, that’s a painful way for her and injured teammate Lucy Aubrecht to end their terrific high school careers.
–Fewer than 10 minutes after winning the title, several Basha parents and fans still groused about the umpiring.
Most of that venom surrounded the balls and strikes, a call that ruled Desiree Mejia out after she hit herself with the batted ball, and a reversal when Theresa Asta was hit by a pitch on a two-strike bunt attempt.
(The last one got coach Scott Hoffmeyer kicked out of the game for saying something to the umpire. He must have said something because it was extra innings of a state championship game, and, from my vantage point, Hoffmeyer wasn’t screaming or overly demonstrative in his protest).
Hoffmeyer wanted to hang around the dugout, but AIA officials stepped in and made him stand out of his players’ sights, so he took up a spot down the right field corner and watched the rest of the game.
As for the Basha bobos who were more hellbent about being “victims” of some umpiring conspiracy than of winning a state title, not to mention what a horrible example such persons of authority demonstrated to the kids, shame on me for being surprised by this.
–Basha leadoff hitter Sierra Rodriguez had three hits, scored twice, started two double plays at second base and robbed Red Mountain of another hit with a diving stab at a grounder. She’s a junior.
–This could happen again next year. Parlich is the only Basha starter to graduate, and while that’s an enormous loss of pitching and hitting, freshman Kailey Regester had a good season as the No. 2 pitcher.
The Lions lose Ensminger and Aubrecht, but we’ve already seen they can reach the championship game without one of those two.
–Classiest participants of the night:
1. Basha catcher Desiree Mejia, who couldn’t stop talking about how good an overall game it was and how well Red Mountain played.
2. Red Mountain coach Rich Hamilton. He always is.
