The Crofton 12 and unders softball team earned their way to the Gold Division of Yankton Girls Softball Association’s 31st annual softball tournament on June 16-18 at Sertoma Park.
The Warriors went 2-2 overall, defeating the Yankton Fury Diamonds (9-5) and the Dakota Dynamite (10-7) and falling to the SD Players (8-0) and Sandford Sanford Sports Red (17-2).
The tournament started for the Warriors on Friday, June 16 against the SD Players, a club team from the Sioux Falls area.
The Warriors played relatively well, but the Players made life difficult for them, especially when it came to hitting.
The Warriors couldn’t get a lot going offensively, but made some nice plays defensively, including tagging out multiple runners at the plate.
Camry Michael and Grace Morrison were the battery for Crofton. Michael started pitching and then flip-flopped with her counterpart.
Saturday proved to be a good day for the Warriors, who went 2-0 and clenched their way to the Gold bracket of the tournament.
This started with 9-5 performance against the Yankton Fury Diamonds that took place at 8:00 A.M.
Down 4-2 after the second inning, the Warriors built an 8-4 lead thanks to a six-run top of the third. The Diamonds did answer with a run in the bottom of the third, but the Warriors scored a run of their own in the top of the fourth and held the Diamonds scoreless in the bottom of the fourth, the game’s final frame.
Crofton had nine toal hits including three off the bat of Michael, one of which was an RBI triple.
Connot also added two hits and two RBI. She put the ball in play in the 5-6 hole (between the third baseman and shortstop) with two outs and a runner on second and third, scoring both runners.
Morrison, Tramp, Brielle McCoy, and Hadley Becker each had a hit as well.
Ella LaCroix, Claire Marsh, and Skylar Sejnoha each added an RBI.
Morrison, Tramp, and Michael each scored two runs. Sejnoha, McCoy, and Berkley Hames scored one run each.
LaCroix, Tramp, and Paige Nohr each walked twice. Morrison started pitching and went the distance, allowing four earned runs on eight hits, seven strikeouts, six walks, and one hit batsman. Tramp had a great game behind the dish, and the rest of the Warriors’ defense made some nice defensive plays.
Probably the most impressive aspect of this game could be seen through the girls finding a way to persevere through some difficult moments. The girls earned a win in this game. They persevered through a rocky first inning and held onto a lead in end. The story was relatively similar during game two on Saturday, a 10-7 win against the Dakota Dynamite (Sioux Falls).
Crofton found themselves trailing 3-2 after the first inning, built an 8-3 lead in the top of the second and then maintained the lead through the remainder of the game.
Michael pitched a complete game for the Warriors allowing five earned runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts and three walks.
Michael was supported well by her teammates who made most of the routine plays that came their way.
Offensively, the Warriors scored ten runs on five hits and ten walks. The great part about the team’s offensive performance was their timely hitting and that the ball seemed to be launching off several girls’ bats.
Michael hit a three-run, inside-the-park home run to deep right field. She scored two runs total.
LaCroix, McCoy, Morrison, and Connot all added a hit.
LaCroix’s hit was a screaming line drive between first and second base. Morrison had a loud out as well, driving a liner to deep right field; however, it went directly to the right fielder.
Morrison had two RBI and LaCroix had one as well.
McCoy ended up scoring three of the teams runs. Hames scored two runs. Claire Marsh also scored a run. Sejnoha (3), Hames (3), and Nohr (2) accounted for eight walks.
This led into Sunday’s game against Sanford Sports Red (Sioux Falls).
At the beginning of the tournament, the 16 teams in the 12U division were split into four pools. Based on the standings of each pool, teams were placed into the Gold (the top eight teams) or Silver (the bottom eight) division.
Because Crofton finished second in their pool, they were placed in the Gold division where they fell to Sanford 17-2.
Crofton started as the home team, giving up five runs in the top of the first.
The main culprit was the Warriors difficulty throwing and catching the ball. Once reaching base, Sanford players used their aggression to apply pressure on the defense.
A tiny mistake here and there cost the Warriors chances to get critical outs or to prevent the Sanford runners from advancing.
In the bottom of the inning, Morrison walked and got to second on a wild pitch, but she was caught stealing between second and third. Michael had a base hit on a hard-hit ball down the third base line. She ended up advancing all the way home.
The Warriors had more trouble in the top of the second, as they allowed seven runs. However, they did make one of the most spectacular defensive plays the team has made or has seen anyone make this year.
With a runner on first, Michael, who was pitching at the time, fielded a bunt out front of the plate. She threw the ball to LaCroix, who made a nice catch. She turned and threw the ball to Sejnoha at third base. Sejnoha slapped the tag down in time to get the runner.
In the bottom of the inning, Marsh drew a walk, but that was all the offense the team could muster.
After allowing five more runs in the top of the third, the Warriors were able to add another run.
Michael doubled down the left field line and came around to score on a double by LaCroix.
The game ended without much more of a threat from the Warriors. The Sanford team did go on to win the 12U division’s Gold bracket.
Despite the difficult game, the progression the girls are experiencing is noticeable and fun to watch.
The Warriors again have a busy week with two games and a tournament. They play Tuesday, June 20 at home against Randolph, on the road on Thursday, June 22 against Ponca, and at home in the 12U league tournament.