Simply
undeniable.
For the
second straight season, Xavier Prep’s Gators proved they are the best softball
team in Arizona, capturing the 6A Conference championship on Saturday night
(May 14) at Arizona State’s Farrington Stadium 13-0 over Chandler
Hamilton in a game that was stopped after five innings due to the “10-run
rule.’’
Xavier’s
10-0 win over Mesa Red Mountain for the first title in school history in 2021
also ended early with the 10-run differential. That game was at the University
of Arizona’s Hillenbrand Stadium.
Brad Downes,
who also coached the 2021 Gators, said he and his assistant coaches – Deryk Sexton
and Tom Sahhar – were proud of the players.
“What we did
with our seniors this year and our seniors from last year put this team on the
map,’’ said Downes, who was sprayed with water by a player or two.
“We’re a
different team than the one last year. When we started, there were some things
that were new. But we also knew that if we worked hard, this (another state
title) was a strong possibility.’’
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Xavier put their fingerprints all over the 6A state softball championship trophy (Photos by Don Ketchum). |
This year’s
seniors played a pivotal role throughout the season. They were pitcher Riley
Flynn, shortstop Bridget Donahey, infielder Meghan Schouten, first
baseman-pitcher Emma Petersen and outfielder Elliot Smith.
The top
effort against Hamilton was turned in by Flynn. She narrowly missed throwing
her second no-hitter in the tournament, but Hamilton’s Liv Losorto smashed a
drive off the ground and then Flynn’s glove, and by the time Flynn recovered,
the throw to first was too late.
Flynn, a
four-year player, finished with a 21-3 record and 215 strikeouts to go with
last season’s 16-2 record and 178 strikeouts.
This season,
she also hit .418 with 22 RBIs and four home runs, and had two hits against
Hamilton. The first was a bunt single in a five-run first inning and the second
was a double when she led off a second straight five-run inning in the second.
The ball went over the third baseman’s head and down the left-field line.
So whoever
chooses the Player of the Year need look no farther than Flynn’s doorstep.
She is not
worried about anything like that right now. She wants to take all the emotion
in, including the support from a big gathering of vocal Xavier fans sitting
behind the Gators’ third-base dugout.
“That first
championship in Tucson was so fun, at least for me, but this one is very
special, too,’’ Flynn said.
Asked which
pitch or pitches were working for her on this night, Flynn said, “I was
spinning the ball pretty well, hitting my spots.’’
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Gators signify their No. 1 spot in the state. |
Saturday’s
win, the fourth of the season over Hamilton, capped a big day for Flynn and the
seniors. They also walked down the aisle in the school’s graduation ceremony on
Saturday morning in Phoenix.
“I think
most of us got up early, but we’ve done a lot of that the last four years,’’ said
Flynn, who received the game ball from her coaches and teammates afterward.
“The ceremony was great and then we started thinking about softball again. We
knew what we wanted to do, what we needed to do.’’
Xavier had
10 hits on the night and got help from seven walks and a pair of Hamilton
errors.
Schouten was
2 for 3 with two RBIs and scored three runs, Petersen had two hits and drove in
a run, junior second baseman Lauren Putz had a double and a pair of RBIs, and
freshman catcher Riley McKeever had a hit, a pair of RBIs and drew two of the
team’s seven walks. Putz and Donahey also had a pair of walks.
In the
second inning, Putz fouled a pitch off a lower leg/ankle and sat on the ground
briefly as Xavier athletic trainer Laurie White tended to her. After a few
minutes, Putz stood up and remained in the game.
Athletic
director Sr. Lynn Winsor provided well wishes to the team afterward and said
how proud everyone was of the team, including a number of former XCP graduates
who were on hand.
Winsor also
took a phone call from Xavier President Sr. Joan Fitzgerald, and the team
greeted her with loud cheers. The players also posed for numerous photos, some
including the state title trophy.
Next on the
Xavier agenda this summer will be the addition of new artificial turf at
Petznick Field, which is home for softball, soccer and lacrosse.