BOULDER — While the last two seasons have been a storybook for the Legacy softball team, one of the few blemishes was the Lightning’s 0-2 record against Oklahoma powerhouse Broken Arrow.
The Lightning stopped the losing streak to the Tigers on Saturday at Stazio Fields, but didn’t win, either. If not for an apparent errant call on what looked to be a go-ahead double by Jessica Ball, Legacy would have won.
Instead, the Class 5A top-ranked Lightning settled for a 0-0 tie against Broken Arrow in the marquee game of the Erie Festival of Champions. Tournament rules dictate games can go only seven innings because of the high volume of games on the four fields.
In the top of the fifth inning, Ball laced a ball that skimmed the glove of Broken Arrow first baseman Sheridan Crawford in fair territory and scooted down the right-field line. Payton Price would have easily scored from first, but the home-plate umpire ruled the ball foul. Even Broken Arrow spectators were mentioning they got away with one.
“I was already at second and Payton was on the way home, then I saw it was foul and I was like ‘Oh, my gosh,’ ” Ball said. “I was just kind of bummed, but I had to stay up for my team.”
Legacy pitcher Shelby Babcock matched zeros with Broken Arrow’s Jessica Turner until things ended in a stalemate. It was undoubtedly bittersweet for Babcock, who went 22-1 last season, with the loss a 1-0 decision to the Tigers.
“This was one of our goals this year because we lost to them the past two years,” Babcock said. “We didn’t lose but we didn’t beat them. Kind of 50-50 on our goal.”
Babcock allowed six hits and struck out six for the Lightning (4-0-1), while Turner permitted only three hits and struck out four for Broken Arrow (15-4-2), ranked No. 4 in Oklahoma’s 6A classification.
“I thought it was fair,” said Babcock, who went 2-for-3. “I was jumping up and down, thinking ‘Yeah, we scored.’ Kind of disappointing.”
Legacy 000 000 0 — 0 3 1
Broken Arrow 000 000 0 — 0 6 1
Legacy (ab-r-h-rbi) — Marcovecchio 2b 3-0-0-0, Ball ss 3-0-0-0, Rodriguez cf 3-0-1-0, Babcock p 3-0-2-0, Mattila 3b 2-0-0-0, Torrez c 3-0-0-0, Gaffin rf 1-0-0-0, Archuleta dh 1-0-0-0, Madsen 1b 0-0-0-0, Price lf 2-0-0-0. Totals 21-0-3-0.
Broken Arrow — Monigold rf 4-0-0-0, Frazier cf 3-0-1-0, Sullivan ss 3-0-1-0, Ellis 3b 3-0-0-0, Forrest dh 3-0-1-0, Scott 2b 3-0-0-0, Ellman c 3-0-2-0, Turner p 3-0-1-0, Crawford 1b 3-0-0-0. Totals 28-0-6-0.
E — Babcock, Crawford. LOB — Legacy 5, Broken Arrow 6. 2B — Babcock, Forrest. SAC — Mattila, Archuleta, Madsen. CS — Rodriguez.
Batteries — Babcock and Torrez; Turner and Ellman. Time — 1:39.
