State softball: Timely hitting goes missing in Bonneville’s 12-2 loss to No. 1 Spanish Fork
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- Bonneville High softball players Stocktyn Stevenson (5, left) and Anastyn Stevenson (11, right) attempt to catch a throw to third base while Spanish Fork’s Jade Romero slides in safely during the teams’ 5A softball state tournament game on Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at Big Cottonwood Regional Park.
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- Bonneville High softball pitcher Emmaline DeGroot throws a pitch during the Lakers’ 5A state softball tournament game against Spanish Fork on May 23, 2023 at Big Cottonwood Regional Park.
MILLCREEK — Bonneville High softball had four base hits, drew three walks, reached base two more times on hit batters and reached base three additional times on errors.
From those 12 baserunners, the No. 15 Lakers (12-10) scored just two runs in a 12-2, six-inning loss against No. 1 Spanish Fork in the 5A state tournament Tuesday at Big Cottonwood Regional Park.
Spanish Fork began with a six-run first inning, hitting ground ball after ground ball to just the right spot where Bonneville infielders couldn’t do much with them.
“I think they kind of came out a little intimidated early, facing the No. 1 team, didn’t really know what to expect,” Lakers coach Shelby Healy said. “And then when we got in the game I felt like we were fighting, fighting good enough, (pitcher Emmaline DeGroot) was keeping them off balance.”
After the first inning, things got better for the Lakers, but not enough to avoid a six-inning loss via the 10-run rule.
Time after time, the Lakers had two or three runners on base but the timely hitting that propelled them past Box Elder and Murray in the earlier rounds of the state tournament wasn’t with them Tuesday.
A wild pitch allowed a Bonneville runner to score in the third inning and cut the SF lead to 7-1. Trailing 9-1, Peighton Summers’ backspinning, infield ground ball landed in front of the shortstop’s outstretched glove and brought a run in to cut the Dons’ lead to 9-2.
DeGroot went four innings in the circle and gave up nine runs while hitting 1 for 3 at the plate. Anastyn Stevenson batted 2 for 3 with one run scored. Stocktyn Stevenson scored the Lakers’ other run and also stole a base.
Spanish Fork pitchers Avery Sapp and Lucy Evans combined to strike out nine Bonneville batters, accounting for half of the Lakers’ outs. Sapp also hit a home run and SF’s Paige Pierce batted 3 for 4 with four RBIs.
“The girls stayed really positive. I feel like they’re excited for tomorrow and we need to go come back and fight,” Healy said. “I was proud of them, they came out swinging hard against that pitcher.”
Heavy rain and lightning moved in as Bonneville was preparing for its one-loss bracket game against the loser of Olympus and Tooele, which was incomplete when the tournament was suspended for the day at around 6:15 p.m.
The 5A state tournament is scheduled to resume Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. with Bonneville expected to play either Olympus or Tooele shortly thereafter.
Connect with reporter Patrick Carr via email at pcarr@standard.net, Twitter @patrickcarr_ and Instagram @standardexaminersports.