Errors doom Flintridge Prep softball
LA CAÑADA — Defense and a lack of key hits held back the Flintridge Prep softball team against visiting Chadwick in Prep League action Wednesday afternoon.
Add a dominant effort from Dolphins pitcher Alex Davisson, who fanned 12, and the Rebels had too many obstacles to overcome in a 5-2 defeat.
The setback drops Flintridge Prep’s record to 1-5 and 1-4 in league, while Chadwick improves to 5-1, 3-1.
“I thought the errors didn’t come in crucial moments necessarily, but they extended innings,” Flintridge Prep coach Julie Mejia said. “That combined with a couple of bloop hits really hurt us. Chadwick is a very good team, but I’m excited that we were in it.”
The Rebels committed four errors that directly led to three unearned runs. Even though Flintridge Prep outhit Chadwick, 6-4, the Dolphins took advantage of the gaffes, along with five walks and two hit batters.
Flintridge Prep starting pitcher Kate Huntley did allow five runs, but only two were earned while the hurler struck out five and stranded eight in a complete-game effort.
The Dolphins ended up plating runs in two innings in which they didn’t collect a hit.
Chadwick catcher Megan Dinnegan turned in a big effort as the sophomore doubled, scored three runs and drove in one run.
Dinnegan scored first in the third inning with Chadwick already up, 1-0.
Davisson, who reached on an error, came home on a fielder’s choice from Dinnegan with one out. Dinnegan stole second and third and then scored on a throwing error to plate her team’s second run of the third inning as Chadwick led, 3-0.
In the fifth, Dinnegan reached on a three-base error in the outfield and scored on an infield error to put the visitors ahead, 4-1.
Dinnegan’s final run came after she tripled and scored on a single from Sam de Gyarfas in the seventh to give Chadwick a 5-2 advantage.
Flintridge Prep finished with two runs on six hits and had its moments against the overpowering Davisson.
In the third, Rebels designated player Madeline Montes singled with one out, stole second and scored on a two-out double from Melissa Grande, who finished two for four with a double and run batted in.
Though the Rebels pulled within 3-1, they missed on chances to get closer as Grande was left on second, Libby Penn was stranded on second in the fourth inning and lead-off hitter Natalie Dale, who doubled, didn’t come home from third in the fifth.
“The pitcher had a lot of spin on the ball and she was getting a lot of first-pitch strikes,” Grande said. “I think most of the team had a tough time adjusting to high pitches.”
The Rebels’ other run came in the sixth when catcher Emma Stellar singled, Olivia Stephens walked and Caroline Yamamoto collected a peculiar bunt-single fielded by Davisson, who didn’t throw the ball.
“We’ve been on spring break and it showed,” said Chadwick coach Theresa Reyes, whose team hadn’t played since March 22. “Coming back and working those kinks out was important.”
With the bases loaded and one out, Georgia Yamamoto plated one run on a fielder’s choice to bring the Rebels within, 4-2. Flintridge Prep, however, didn’t add any more as the next batter grounded into an inning-ending fielder’s choice.
