Golden – By the sixth inning, Sam Mitchek knew it wasn’t going to be enough for her to simply pitch a good game.
Mitchek had held heavily favored Faith Christian to just three runs through the first five innings, but her Cheyenne Wells team still trailed by a run when she stepped in to lead off the top of the sixth.
The senior responded by lacing a base hit into right field, sparking a five-run rally the Tigers rode to a 7-4 victory to advance to the Class 3A state playoffs.
Cheyenne Wells (10-10) jumped out quickly against the host Eagles (12-8), scoring two runs on three singles in the first inning. Mitchek faltered on the mound in the early going, though, giving two big hits deep into Faith Christian’s fenceless outfield.
Eagles third baseman Amilia Stephens launched a solo homer in the first and center fielder Ashley Hult hit a long RBI triple in the third.
Hult scored to give the Eagles a one-run lead, and Faith Christian pitcher Lindsey Haight settled down, pitching four consecutive innings of no-hit ball.
But the Eagles’ offense sputtered after Cheyenne Wells’ outfielders moved back to take away the long ball, and Faith Christian’s defense unraveled in the deciding sixth.
Two Faith Christian errors gave the Tigers the lead, and second baseman Abby Polton punctuated the inning with a two-run triple.
Polton’s two RBIs paced the Tigers. Amber Roundtree led the Eagles with three hits in four at-bats.
The offensive explosion was unusual for Cheyenne Wells, which has been shut out six times this season.
“Our weakness is our batting,” Mitchek said. “We have struggled so much in our batting. But we wanted this game so badly.”
The Tigers stopped a three- game losing streak to enter the state playoffs. Faith Christian, meanwhile, ended its season with a four-game skid.
Haight took the hard-luck loss, holding Cheyenne Wells to just six hits but suffering five Eagles errors.
“She pitched a great game for us today,” Eagles coach Tim Griego said of his pitcher. “Her defense made some errors, but she did a great job for us and we look forward to her coming back next year. I think she’ll just do that much better.”
Cheyenne Wells 200 005 0 – 7 6 1
Faith Christian 102 000 1 – 4 10 5
Cheyenne Wells – Waugh c 4-0-0-0, Baker 1b 4-1-1-0, As. Mitchek 1b 4-1-1-0, S. Mitchek p 3-0-1-0, Damiani lf 4-1-1-1, Rosales dp 3-0-0-0, Worley rf 3-1-1-0, Au. Mitchek 3b 1-1-0-0, Polton 2b 3-1-1-2, Roberts pr 0-1-0-0, Larsen cf 0-0-0-0. Totals 29-7-6-3.
Faith Christian – Roundtree ss 4-0-3-0, Uribe lf 4-0-1-1, Stephens 3b 3-1-1-1, Benson 1b 4-0-1-0, Kaker rf 3-0-0-0, Griego c 3-0-1-0, Richter dp 3-0-0-0, Wilcoxson 2b 3-1-1-0, Hult cf 3-1-2-1, Johnson pr 0-1-0-0, Haight p 0-0-0-0. Totals 31-4-10-3.
E – Baker; Roundtree 2, Benson 2, Kaker. LOB – Cheyenne Wells 6; Faith Christian 6. SB – Worley.
3B – Polton; Hult. HR – Stephens.
Batteries – Sa. Mitchek and Waugh; Haight and Griego. W – Mitchek. L – Haight.
T – 1:44.
