Washington slows things down to advance
After giving up three runs in the sixth inning, Washington’s Lyndie Erving stepped back into the pitcher's circle with her coach's words ringing in her ears.
"He said 'Sloooooowww down,'" Erving said of coach Jace Brewer's advice. "Sometimes I go too fast and throw off the rhythm. But when I slow down that's when we click."
After hearing the advice from her coach, Erving promptly turned three batters into three outs, sealing Class 3A Washington's 9-5 quarterfinal victory over Prague in the state fastpitch softball tournament at USA Softball Hall Of Fame Stadium.
“I just tried not to get ahead of our game plan,” Erving said. “Sometimes I rush and (it) gets us into mistakes. ”
Sometimes at state tournaments, teams get in trouble because they got too nervous being on the big stage, Brewer said.
All week in practice, Brewer preached a calm attitude and told his girls not to get ahead of themselves.
“The first to find their groove and calm down is usually the one that comes away with the win in the tournament,” Brewer said.
“So I kept telling our girls to slow down and calm down."
Washington jumped to a 4-2 lead after two innings after Brooke Logan drove two runners home on a deep shot center, and Jill Blair scored two more when she hit a triple off the center field fence.
"I struck the ball well today," Logan said. "We really wanted to come out strong and get some runs on the board early."
Washington added one run in three out of the next four innings, and had a 7-2 advantage when Prague got up to bat in the sixth.
That's when Washington's calm demeanor was tested, as Prague's Taylor Hodges hit a shot up the middle to drive Brittany Harwell home and then Jaycee Johnson singled to send Hodges home.
Beth Denney then singled to score Johnson, and Washington's lead was cut to 7-5.
"We got out of that inning, and we just told the girls 'Stay at them, stay at them,'" Brewer said. "We just want them to remain aggressive."
The tip paid off as junior Jill Blair smashed a fastball to the wall to bring in Baylee Haughland and Emma Curry.
Then it was back on Erving to close it out, and she retired three batters to end the game.
"I just knew my teammates had my back," Erving said. "Our big thing is finish. That's what I wanted to do after giving up those runs in the sixth. I was happy we delivered."
Washington moves on to the semifinals where it will face Purcell at 11 a.m. Friday.