Prep softball: Hall’s five tools, Chilton’s timely plays help Davis edge Weber 6-5
-
- Davis High’s Lauryn Hall runs the bases against Weber on Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Kaysville.
-
- Weber High’s Isabella Bird, right, squares to bunt as Davis High’s Rayleigh Starnes readies to catch the pitch on Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Kaysville.
-
- Players in the Davis High softball dugout celebrate scoring a run against Weber on Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Kaysville.
-
- Weber High’s Isabella Bird reaches for a ball in the outfield during a game against Davis on Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Kaysville.
-
- Davis High’s Chloe Peery swings at a Weber pitch on Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Kaysville.
-
- Weber High’s Moira Tinsley secures a flyout against Davis on Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Kaysville.
-
- Davis High’s Rayleigh Starnes hits the softball in a game against Weber on Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Kaysville.
-
- Weber High’s Moira Tinsley swings at a Davis pitch on Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Kaysville.
-
- David High’s Lauryn Hall rounds third base to score a run against Weber on Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Kaysville.
-
- Weber High’s Hailey Merrill reaches to catch a ball against Davis on Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Kaysville.
-
- Weber High’s Olivia Boswell, right, swings at a pitch in front of Davis catcher Rayleigh Starnes on Thursday, April 18, 2024, in Kaysville.
KAYSVILLE — Five tool player is a term baseball scouts use to describe a player’s abilities in the field.
These categories include running speed, throwing-arm strength, fielding ability, hitting for average and hitting for power.
Davis High softball senior left fielder Lauryn Hall put all five of those tools on display against Weber on Thursday afternoon.
The Darts needed everything Hall had to give, and a timely clutch performance by second baseman Jada Chilton, to narrowly nip the Warriors 6-5 in a Region 1 dandy.
“I love the game of softball. My teammates make it possible for me to make those plays; they put me in position to be successful,” Hall said. “I take pride in keeping my teammates in the game and it’s a team effort … anything I can do to do my job.”
Chilton broke a scoreless tie with a two-run, looping single to the left, scoring Hall and Sydney Marrelli, in the bottom of the third inning for the Darts.
“I like to watch the field and place my hits. My job is to get on and if there are runners on, to score them,” Chilton said. “Before I step in the box, I’ll look where their weaknesses are, where the gaps are, so I can score at least one run. Even though there was one out, I didn’t care if I got out, my goal was to score that runner.”
Davis starter Serena Roth had a no-hitter going into the fourth inning when Hall made her mark on the game, making a head-first diving catch in short left field to keep the Warriors at bay. Hall then made an over-the-shoulder running catch in the fifth, battling the sun-drenched field.
“I saw it up and decided to run on it; playing a little bit back, but I was able to make the play,” Hall said of the gem catch in the fourth inning. “(The one in the fifth), Davis High has a really bad sun; the glasses help. It was a catch that needed to be made.”
With two runners on in the fourth, Hall came to bat and ripped a two-RBI line drive through Weber second baseman Aliya Rhees and Davis went up 4-0.
“I would describe myself as a power hitter. Anything in my zone I want to hit hard,” Hall said.
Weber (6-9, 2-3 Region 1) closed the gap to 4-3 in the top of the sixth with back-to-back doubles by Ellie Nielsen and Moira Tinsley, and a single from Logyn Howell.
Hall chased a couple of those drives down at the fence and fired throws back to the infield, holding the hits to doubles.
Then, for the third time in the game, Davis (11-3, 3-1) posted a two-run inning and Hall was in the middle of it again.
She beat out a hit to deep shortstop, then promptly stole second base and scored on a double by Marrelli that bounced off of the top of the fence and came back into play, making it 5-2.
“I love running the bases; that’s one of my favorite parts about softball,” Hall said. “I have a coach who has trust in me on the bases. He lets me steal quite often. I like to create some mischief on the bases.”
Chilton then lined a run-scoring, two-out single. No one knew it at the time, but that proved to be the game-winner after Weber rallied in the seventh inning.
“There’s so many things in life you can’t control. I can only control my effort, my attitude and how I am performing. The first two pitches at the at-bat were pretty high, but called strikes,” Chilton said. “I decided I was going to go up and hit that next ball no matter where it’s at and adapt to wherever it’s thrown. I really wanted to get that run home; get it out of the infield, score her. Get her in.”
Ellie Nielsen doubled home two runs in the top of the seventh for Weber and the Warriors had the bases loaded with two outs; Chilton handled a grounder for her only chance of the game and threw out Hailey Merrill for the final out.
“The other day, I was making sure my fielding was on par, just in case,” Chilton said. “I’ve observed their players, watched how they hit and know they go to my side. Just preparing to be hit to. I didn’t get many, but I got one.”
Hall finished the game 3 for 3 with three singles, two runs batted in and a pair of runs scored, checking off the hitting average of the five tools designation. Chilton batted 2 for 3 with three RBIs for the Darts. Marrelli had two hits, two runs scored and the other RBI.
For Weber, Nielsen rapped a pair of doubles, accounting for three RBIs, and Howell got two hits.