Mack softball, down several players, falls in first round of NCS to end solid year
The McKinleyville High softball team concluded a successful campaign on Friday that saw them finish first in the Big Five with an overall record of 14-8 (9-3 conference). The top seed, after a bye through to the second round of the North Coast Section Division 3 playoffs, was dropped by No. 9-ranked Petaluma 7-1 at home in the quarterfinals.
In that game, Mack was missing several starters and key contributors. Petaluma is a D-3 school with 1,200 students. However, head coach Shanna McCracken saw much reason for optimism moving forward after such a successful campaign.
"Really, we didn't play clean softball, and that's a team where I would say most of their girls play year-round," said McCracken. "My assistant made a comment in one of the innings about how many travel-ball teams were on those helmets, and ultimately I think it was good for the girls to see. But unfortunately, their pitcher kept us off-balance really well, and I think we had a total of six hits, just not really stringing any together. We made some baserunning miscues and defensive errors and just kind of let the game get away from us.
Petaluma plated three in the third inning and two in both the fourth and fifth to stake itself to a 7-0 lead it would not relinquish.
McKennah Sargeant got credit from her coach for pitching well in the circle, only giving up two earned runs with six strikeouts. Sargeant also had two hits and a run batted in at the plate for the Panthers; catcher Josie Dowd had two base knocks, and Liana Stumpf and Jacey Parker both ended up with a hit. Parker and Stumpf each notched a double.
"Their team was just much more well-rounded than us," said McCracken. "We didn't have our leadoff batter or our four hitter that day, and it wasn't really in the cards for us."
Mack had a couple out due to injury and personal reasons but "did the best with what we had. It's unfortunate, at least we got a run in, but couldn't string some hits together or play cleaner defense (the Panthers had three errors)," McCracken said.
"Our seniors are definitely leaving some big shoes to fill," McCracken added.
Bailey White, who has played shortstop and second base; Stumpf, second, short, and center field; and Taylor Wade, first base and designated player as she struggled with injury, all fall into that category.
Finally, McCracken spoke of Sargeant's presence in the circle being tough to replace, as well as her hitting prowess.
"The girls that make a big difference defensively and offensively, those are the ones that are hard to fill," she said. "Our lineup will look a little different next year; we won't have those girls filling our infield, and it'll be different. But we are very young. We had no juniors this year, so it was really those four and the underclassmen. It was good for them to get that experience and see a team like Petaluma, to get that experience of winning league and to have something to shoot for in their future years."
"I'm excited for McKennah to go on to bigger and better things and keep playing," she continued (Sargeant will be attending Santa Rosa Junior College). Other seniors will go to Tennessee, Utah, and Hawaii in their non-playing ventures. "I'm excited for their futures and glad they left such an impression with our younger players… filling pitcher shoes is hard, I think our whole league knows that, if you have a pitcher it kind of makes or breaks whether you can compete in games, and those will be the biggest ones to fill."
Slugger Cabella Carper and fellow key hitter Leili Guerrero were absent from Mack's starting lineup, "but things happen, and the whole season it's been kind of one thing after another, I feel like," said McCracken. "This is the time when we all need to be healthy and together and it just didn't all work out for us. I don't know that one or two players is going to make a big difference in that game anyway. We made errors we can't get back, and hopefully the underclassmen learn from it, we move on, and we use that as fuel to get better next year.
"We're just happy with winning league, happy with overall how successful they were this season. I think they stopped short of their goal, but also all in all, I'm proud of the work they've done all season to get where they are."
Baseball
Meanwhile, the Mack baseball team also earned a top seed in NCS in the Division 2 bracket. They were victorious over No. 16 seed California in the first round, but fell at home Saturday to No. 8 Bishop O'Dowd 7-3 as the visitors put up six runs in the top of the seventh inning to rally.
Against California, Joe Tanno was masterful on the mound, throwing a complete game and surrendering just three hits and one earned run, striking out five. He also had a double and an RBI in the contest.
Patrick Wilson had a big hit in a "good playoff game, 2-1, great, close game well-played by both teams," said Mack head coach Mike Dobrec, who commended Jake Brunner for his work behind the plate, along with a sacrifice bunt he laid down to get a run in scoring position. Blake Santos made a couple of nice diving plays in right field, as well.
The Panthers had three errors in the game, Tanno managing one inning in particular where a few fielding miscues put the home team in danger.
"He had all three of his pitches working and only threw 87, with no walks. That was huge, and he was very efficient," said Dobrec.
On Saturday, in their final game, Mack scored the first three runs of the contest in the second and third innings.
"We came out ready to play," said Dobrec. "We had a couple opportunities early; we got some hits and a run on a first-and-third situation. It was a good game. Tate (Saso) pitched good. We just made one mistake there late that hurt us, and it compounded. Give them credit; they hung around and got the hits when they needed in that last inning."
He was careful to say they didn't lose on an error, but an error gave them an extra opportunity they took advantage of.
"That's sometimes how baseball goes, the ball doesn't bounce your way," said the coach.
Saso gave up seven runs, five earned, and eight hits in 6.2 innings, striking out three and walking three. Bode Reininger had four hits for the Panthers to go with an RBI, and Hunter Carper had two hits and a run scored. Santos had a hit and an RBI.
"It was playoff baseball, close games against good teams that are there for a reason, and we were on the wrong side of it," said Dobrec. "Bode's been unbelievable all year, always putting the ball in play, making some really nice plays at second base in an outstanding year."
Mack finished 24-3 (11-1 Big Five Conference) with a "tough loss, and I don't think we were ready to quit playing," said Dobrec. "I'm very proud of the kids, and thankful for all the help I get from my assistants. … To coach in McKinleyville is an honor. We have a great baseball community, all the parents support everybody and the kids. We have good turnouts at games. It was just a great season for us."
Ken McCanless can be reached at 707-441-0526.
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