Lack of big hits dooms Flintridge Prep softball
One clutch hit away from breaking open a crucial Prep League softball contest, visiting Flintridge Prep was denied victory after surrendering a two-run advantage and falling, 4-3, on Wednesday afternoon.
The Rebels led, 3-1, after four innings, but gave up two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth, with that frustration boiling over after a series of close calls went against Flintridge Prep.
A strikeout by Pasadena Poly pitcher Brennah Bronk of Flintridge Prep’s Maia Cohen led to the shortstop slamming her bat at home plate. The act earned Cohen a postgame ejection with harsh words flying from Flintridge Prep’s coaching staff toward the game’s two umpires.
“Umpires are always an uncontrollable element and their safe and out calls are totally subjective,” Flintridge Prep Coach Julie Mejia said. “I love that my girls played with their hearts and gave everything they had. Sometimes it just comes down to one safe or out.”
Neither team hit well in the clutch.
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Flintridge Prep (7-5, 3-3 in league) finished one for seven with runners in scoring position with one run batted in and six stranded, while Pasadena Poly (6-4, 4-0) was two for 10 with four RBI and left eight runners on base.
Poly’s game-winning hit came as pinch-hitter Ella Cornwell chopped a grounder up the middle that skipped off the glove of lunging second baseman Cohen.
The infield hit scored Ali Ulin, who connected on a one-out single and advanced two additional bases when her hit was overrun in left field.
After going up, 4-3, Bronk set down the Rebels in order in the seventh.
Though Bronk held the Rebels to three runs, Flintridge Prep had its chances.
The Rebels twice placed runners on second and third with no outs in the third and sixth innings and came away with nothing.
After trailing, 1-0, Flintridge Prep scored all three of its runs in an opportunistic fourth inning.
Freshman Olivia Stevens collected the Rebels’ first hit with one out in the inning and moved to second on a walk to Libby Penn (double, walk and run scored).
After a strikeout, the Rebels tallied their lone run-scoring hit on a single from Melissa Grande, which scored Stevens.
The hit rolled under the glove of Poly’s left fielder, which allowed Penn to move to third and Grande to take second.
A wild pitch then allowed Penn to score, while a throwing error by the catcher brought home Grande from second base as the Rebels went ahead, 3-1.
“It was a good pitch right out there for me,” Stevens said. “I think there was an error, too, which made stuff happen.”
The Panthers put runners on second and third with one out in the fifth and tied the game at 3 on a sacrifice fly from Maddie Magee followed by an RBI single from Megan Kelleher.
Flintridge Prep put runners on second and third with no outs and then loaded the bases in the sixth with one out, but didn’t score after an infield pop-up and an inning-ending strikeout.
Twitter: @campadresports
