Xavier Prep softball players will be happy to search for
Easter eggs after putting scoreless eggs on the board for visiting Phoenix
Mountain Pointe in a game on Wednesday (March 23) at Petznick Field.
The Gators had a strong comeback in the 9-0 victory, 24
hours after suffering a 9-8 setback against host Peoria Sunrise Mountain on
Tuesday (March 22).
Senior pitcher Caitlyn Dickman and freshman Kylie Rodgers
combined for a four-hitter as Xavier ran its record to 11-3 entering the Easter
break.
Dickman and Mountain Pointe’s Danielle Farinas were locked
in a scoreless duel through the first three innings.
Xavier scored the only run it would need in the fourth
inning. Leadoff hitter Becky Ducar reached first on an infield error and
eventually scored on a fielder’s choice grounder by Marie Funes.
The floodgates opened in the fifth as the Gators scored five
runs on six hits, along with an error.
Megan Donahey, Ducar, Emily Richards, Funes and Jordan
Bassett each drove in a run in the frame.
Two more errors by the Pride and a hit by Ducar contributed
to three more XCP runs in the sixth.
“The girls get disappointed when they lose, and that
motivates them to come back,’’ said Xavier coach Carrie Markham. “Working to
eliminate mistakes makes them mentally stronger.’’
Asked that allowed the Gators to break the game open,
Markham said, “We started executing our short game, reading their defense. They
were playing us way back.’’
Markham said the team will have limited practices during the
break, due in part that some of the players will be out of town with their
families.
The Gators were due to play three games in their first week
back, but one of those, a road contest at Scottsdale Desert Mountain, has been
moved from April 6 to April 14. In the first week, Xavier will play home games
against Gilbert High on April 5 and Gilbert Highland on April 8.
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