Brookstone opens state softball tournament with big home runs, big win
There was good news and bad news for Brookstone on Thursday in the Class A-priavte school state softball tournament.
The Lady Cougars opened with a 2-1 victory over Calvary Day. But they couldn't keep the momentum going and lost 6-0 to First Presbyterian.
That loss sends Brookstone into the losers bracket, where it will face either Stratford or Christian Heritage at 1 p.m. today. Those two teams lost their first-round games Thursday and play at 9 a.m. today.
Brookstone 2, Calvary Day 1
Brookstone got two big hits, and that was enough to carry the Lady Cougars to a the victory over Calvary Day.
"We got two big hits that went over the fence, and that was the difference in the game," Brookstone coach Nate McConnel said. "We have to make an adjustment before the next game. We have to get the ball out of the air. Those went over the fence, but we are not going to win or stay in this thing long if we don't hit the ball on the ground and put some pressure on the defense. But it was still a win, and I am happy."
Each of Brookstone's homers were solo shots. Nae McClain's was a massive shot, which landed about halfway to the second fence on Field 1. It was her team-leading fourth of the season.
That gave the Lady Cougars a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning.
"She got all of it," McConnell said "I ask her 'did
you get a piece of that.' She said 'I think so.' She laced it, it was a bomb."
Helen Snavely added a homer in the fourth for a 2-0 lead.
"Helen hit it exactly where it was thrown," McConnell said.
Those two runs were enough as Snavely shut down Calvary Day (19-13) on just four hits. She struck out 10.
A couple of errors led to Calvary Day's only two scoring threats.
In the third inning, Snavely issued a two-out walk and an error on the next batter allowed runners on first and third. But Snavely struck out Jessica Ginn to end the inning.
In the sixth inning, it was Snavely's overthrow on a ball hit to her that led to Calvary Day's lone run. Two batters later, Kelcey Black hit a double to the gap in right center, driving in a run.
But again Snavely kept Brookstone in the lead by striking out the final batter of the sixth.
"She took ownership when she got out there," McConnell said. "She made one mistake and gave up that hit in the gap, but other than that, she was on point. If she can continue to throw like that, I feel confident."
A key play in that sixth inning was the first batter. Sydney Wilson hit a roller up the first base line, and it appeared that it would be an easy play for first baseman Emily Timmons. But she was unable to pick it up on her first two attempts. By the time she did grab it, she would not have had time to beat Wilson to the bag.
But she was able to flip the ball to second baseman Deme Courtney, who could have turned into a spectator on the play, for an out.
"(Deme) is always where she needs to be," McConnell said. "She knows she always has a job to do. One thing I can tell you for sure is that I have never had to worry about her. She is hustler. She always thinks ahead, and she knows where she needs to be."
First Pres. 6, Brookstone 0
The Lady Cougars managed just one hit, a one-out single by Snavely in the bottom of the seventh.
Brookstone also got runners on by walks in the first two innings.
"We put the ball in play but didn't do it with any authority, just weak ground balls that they could make plays on," McConnell said. "But give them credit, we made a couple of mistakes in one inning and they capitalized on them which what a good team does.
"We are still in this tournament and will get back at it tomorrow."
-- Ronald Frazier contributed to this report.
Thursday at South Commons
Game 1
Brookstone 010 100 0 --2 4 2
Calvary Day 000 001 0 --1 4 0
WP--Helen Snavely (19-1). LP--Jessica Ginn. Hitting leaders--Marty Laughbaum 1-2; Helen Snavely 1-3, HR; Nae McClain 1-3, HR; Emily Timmons 1-3. Catie Thomas 2-2; Kelcey Black 1-2, 2B, RBI; Abbey Slingluff 1-3. Records--Brookstone 21-4. Calvary Day 19-13. Next--Calvary Day vs. Tattnall Square, Friday, 9 a.m.
Game 2
FPD 010 300 2 --6 5 0
Brookstone 000 000 0 --0 1 1
WP--P. Worsham. LP--Helen Snavely. Hitting leaders--First Presbyterian C. Sutton 1-4, R; Parkerson 1-3, RBI; Rogers 1-3, R. CA Sutton 1-2, 2RBI, Evans 1-3, R, RBI. Brookstone Helen Snavely 1-3. Records--Brookstone 21-5. Next--First Presbyterian, vs. ELCA, Friday, 5 p.m., Field 5. Brookstone, vs. TBD, Friday, 1 p.m., Field 8.
This story was originally published October 29, 2015 at 11:03 PM with the headline "Brookstone opens state softball tournament with big home runs, big win ."