KEVIN GOODWIN/The Smithville HeraldSmithville High sophomore Kaily Purtle winds up for a pitch against Liberty on Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Winnetonka Tournament.
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Warriors top heavyweights for title
By Scott Tittrington
When Saturday morning’s first opponent at the Winnetonka Tournament turned out to be a no-show, Smithville High softball coach Steve Tingler was admittedly worried his team might sleepwalk through the remainder of that day’s action.
A few hours later, reality hit home that he’s got a group of girls that can handle just about anything thrown at them.
Not letting the unexpected early-morning bye faze them in the slightest, the Warriors simply ran the table with three straight victories and chalked up an impressive tournament title at Happy Rock Park, a significant boost in their last major tune-up before Class 3 District 15 tournament play beckons next week.
“The girls just amaze me,” Tingler said. “They just went out and did the job and played.”
Along the way, they secured a 4-2 victory against Class 4 heavyweight Liberty, a 5-4 win against St. Teresa’s, and in the championship game, outlasted another Class 4 opponent, Raymore-Peculiar, by a 6-5 count to win the gold trophy and continue a strong 2008 tournament run that’s seen the Warriors (17-5) more than hold their own against some of the top competition the Kansas City area has to offer.
“We’ve been in every game,” Tingler said. “It’s a good group of girls. The best compliment I can give them is, they’re softball players.”
Sophomore pitcher Kaily Purtle allowed just four earned runs in 17 innings of work, and helped her own cause by finishing 7-for-11 at the plate. Junior Michelle Stevenson and freshman Katie Mertes each clubbed home runs in the win against St. Teresa’s, while freshman Ashley Ward had a key-two run double in the bottom of the seventh against Ray-Pec.
Suffice it to say, confidence is running high with the final week of the regular season now at hand.
“They really think they can play with anyone,” Tingler said.
Smithville played host to rival Platte County on Tuesday, Sept. 30, in a game that will likely determine the top seed in next week’s district bracket. The Warriors also have home games tonight against Lawson and Thursday, Oct. 2, against Cameron, before closing out the regular season Monday against Pleasant Hill.
Warriors sandwich tourney with four wins
Smithville picked up four more wins dating back to Sept. 23.
Mertes delivered a three-run homer in the eighth inning Monday, Sept. 29, as the Warriors beat Harrisonville 4-1. She also went deep Thursday, Sept. 25, as part of an 8-0 victory against St. Teresa’s.
That was the third consecutive shutout for Purtle, who threw a no-hitter in a 10-0 victory against St. Joseph Bishop LeBlond on Sept. 24, and was likewise stingy in a 3-0 win vs. Chillicothe on Sept. 23.
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A few hours later, reality hit home that he’s got a group of girls that can handle just about anything thrown at them.
Not letting the unexpected early-morning bye faze them in the slightest, the Warriors simply ran the table with three straight victories and chalked up an impressive tournament title at Happy Rock Park, a significant boost in their last major tune-up before Class 3 District 15 tournament play beckons next week.
“The girls just amaze me,” Tingler said. “They just went out and did the job and played.”
Along the way, they secured a 4-2 victory against Class 4 heavyweight Liberty, a 5-4 win against St. Teresa’s, and in the championship game, outlasted another Class 4 opponent, Raymore-Peculiar, by a 6-5 count to win the gold trophy and continue a strong 2008 tournament run that’s seen the Warriors (17-5) more than hold their own against some of the top competition the Kansas City area has to offer.
“We’ve been in every game,” Tingler said. “It’s a good group of girls. The best compliment I can give them is, they’re softball players.”
Sophomore pitcher Kaily Purtle allowed just four earned runs in 17 innings of work, and helped her own cause by finishing 7-for-11 at the plate. Junior Michelle Stevenson and freshman Katie Mertes each clubbed home runs in the win against St. Teresa’s, while freshman Ashley Ward had a key-two run double in the bottom of the seventh against Ray-Pec.
Suffice it to say, confidence is running high with the final week of the regular season now at hand.
“They really think they can play with anyone,” Tingler said.
Smithville played host to rival Platte County on Tuesday, Sept. 30, in a game that will likely determine the top seed in next week’s district bracket. The Warriors also have home games tonight against Lawson and Thursday, Oct. 2, against Cameron, before closing out the regular season Monday against Pleasant Hill.
Warriors sandwich tourney with four wins
Smithville picked up four more wins dating back to Sept. 23.
Mertes delivered a three-run homer in the eighth inning Monday, Sept. 29, as the Warriors beat Harrisonville 4-1. She also went deep Thursday, Sept. 25, as part of an 8-0 victory against St. Teresa’s.
That was the third consecutive shutout for Purtle, who threw a no-hitter in a 10-0 victory against St. Joseph Bishop LeBlond on Sept. 24, and was likewise stingy in a 3-0 win vs. Chillicothe on Sept. 23.