Wildcats will themselves to a win

The real measure of Keystone softball is its ability to almost will itself to win.

The location, the weather conditions and, truthfully, the opponent generally doesn’t matter, the WIldcats win because they believe they can, and that’s certainly been the case this season, most recently in a Division II state semifinal game on May 31 — their 17th state tournament appearance in program history.

In a 1-0 pitchers’ duel that saw a scrappy Fairfield Union (14-11) hold Keystone to its lowest scoring output of the season, the winning run didn’t come off a particularly powerful hit but some savvy base running head coach Jim Piazza only tried because of the confidence he has in every player on his roster.

When Madi Nunez hit a fly ball just behind first base in foul territory, Piazza knew it was time to make something happen as he sent freshman Madi Herrington home from third base. It was perhaps a risky play in the eyes of the spectators but when Piazza and his team have their sights set on a goal, they usually achieve it.

“Anybody getting on to start something, it starts building and the kids start building,” Piazza said. “We’re very comfortable 1-9 in the batting order in any situation to come through.”

The Wildcats have seen enough to know what it takes to win at an elite level, and from the start of the postseason, it has been tunnel vision to the state championship, but perhaps the biggest takeaway from the semifinal win is that in the playoffs, anyone can beat any anyone at any time.

To this point, Keystone had outscored its opponents, 384-16, and had never scored less than two runs all season before Fairfield Union put it to the test and it took sheer determination, and maybe the advantage of four straight semifinal appearances, to eke out the win.

Regardless of only managing two hits, regardless of a pair of late-game errors, Piazza remained steadfast in the confidence he has in this group.

“You’ve got to let them just play the game and play it out on their own because they’re the ones out there doing the job,” Piazza said. “You’ve got to let them play it out and figure it out themselves and they did. They made the adjustments they needed to make.

“When you get to a state final four, anybody can play with anybody. The excitement of the game, being here, you can’t blame them. It’s a great learning experience and we lived for another day and we have time to make those corrections.”

After losing, 7-4, to Hebron Lakewood in the 2016 title game, a loss that still stings those who were there to experience it, the Wildcats have finally earned a shot at redemption and they did it with an unwavering belief this is where they were always meant to end up.