MADISON - Walking out of the dugout after a 6-4 eight-inning loss to Oakfield in a WIAA Division 4 state semifinal game at Goodman Diamond Saturday morning left many Juda-Albany players teary-eyed, but wanting more.
"We proved that we could play with the top teams in the state and we are one of the better teams in the state," Juda-Albany senior center fielder Molly Marass said. "We left it all out on the field. We never gave up. They (Oakfield) just got some clutch hits in the end."
In the program's first appearance at the state tournament, Juda-Albany freshman ace pitcher Nicki Becker struck out the first two hitters she faced in the first inning. Oakfield's McKaela Ryan then lined a base hit to left field that got away from Katlyn Steinmann and Ryan raced around the bases for what was ruled an inside-the-park home run to give the Oaks a 1-0 lead. The Panthers (24-5) battled back in the bottom of the first inning off Ryan. Juda-Albany junior Jessica Crull doubled to left. Sophomore teammate Sara Jordan delivered an RBI single up the middle to score Crull to tie the game at 1. Crull went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored.
"I felt like we played hard the whole game," Crull said. "It just shows that we will never give up. It shows that we have the dedication to work hard. We may be down, but we will go on and play the game. It's hard to see it end. It was really a great season for us."
The Oaks scored two unearned runs in the second on an error and a passed ball to take a 3-1 lead.
"After we shook the nerves, we found out that we could stay toe-to-toe with this team," Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said. "Jessica Crull has been stepping up for us all year. She's a really good player. We had Sara Jordan and Katlyn Steinmann step up and Alexis Goecks had a big triple. We got it from different spots in the order. The girls played their hearts out. Unfortunately, we ended up on the wrong side of it."
The Panthers again rallied in the fourth. Juda-Albany senior Cheyenne Ambler reached on catcher's interference. Becker moved courtesy runner Mackenzie Byrne into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Steinmann followed with an RBI single to center to cut the Oaks' lead to 3-2.
"It's an amazing feeling and honor to be at state," Steinmann said. "We were always striving to be 1-0 every game. It's an amazing feeling to come back when you are down. I hope next year's team can carry that on."
The Panthers came back to tie the game in the fifth. Juda-Albany sophomore Goecks ripped a triple to right and Crull followed with a game-tying RBI single to tie the game at 3.
Juda-Albany had a golden opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the seventh. Freshman Hailey Kammerer hit a towering fly ball to right. Oakfield's right fielder Hannah Flury and center fielder Karissa Ryan collided and dropped the ball and it was ruled a double. However, Davis waved Kammerer to third and she was thrown out as the potential game-winning run.
Davis didn't second-guess his call to send Kammerer to third on the play.
"I thought it was huge to get her (Kammerer) to third," Davis said. "The outfielders were going away from the infield and it took a good relay. It's no secret with the top of our lineup we have some good bunters. If we get her on third, than we could have used a squeeze bunt. I think it was the right choice."
The Oaks cashed in on their opportunity in the eighth, scoring three runs. Oakfield's Brianna Sabel reached on an error and Ryan singled. Oakfield's Madelyn Ryan lined a line drive off Goecks' glove for a two-run RBI single to give the Oaks a 5-3 lead.
Becker pitched a complete game and gave up three earned runs on eight hits. She struck out eight and didn't issue a walk.
"She (Becker) threw a great game probably good enough to get the win," Davis said. "In the eighth inning, they sat back and took a couple of changeups the other way. That is not something they were doing earlier in the game."
Crull made sure the Panthers wouldn't go down without a fight in the bottom of the eighth when she hit a solo home run to left that hit the top of the wall and bounced over the fence.
"It was huge," Crull said of hitting a home run at Goodman Diamond. "I was really happy I did that."
With five starters returning next year, Juda-Albany has big expectations.
"Teams will get better and we will too," Crull said. "We know what it's like now. We will really have to work hard and play our hearts out to do it again."
Davis is looking forward to having a team with so many young starters returning next season.
"I hope that they stay motivated," he said. "I hope that they are hungry to do it again."
"We proved that we could play with the top teams in the state and we are one of the better teams in the state," Juda-Albany senior center fielder Molly Marass said. "We left it all out on the field. We never gave up. They (Oakfield) just got some clutch hits in the end."
In the program's first appearance at the state tournament, Juda-Albany freshman ace pitcher Nicki Becker struck out the first two hitters she faced in the first inning. Oakfield's McKaela Ryan then lined a base hit to left field that got away from Katlyn Steinmann and Ryan raced around the bases for what was ruled an inside-the-park home run to give the Oaks a 1-0 lead. The Panthers (24-5) battled back in the bottom of the first inning off Ryan. Juda-Albany junior Jessica Crull doubled to left. Sophomore teammate Sara Jordan delivered an RBI single up the middle to score Crull to tie the game at 1. Crull went 3-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and two runs scored.
"I felt like we played hard the whole game," Crull said. "It just shows that we will never give up. It shows that we have the dedication to work hard. We may be down, but we will go on and play the game. It's hard to see it end. It was really a great season for us."
The Oaks scored two unearned runs in the second on an error and a passed ball to take a 3-1 lead.
"After we shook the nerves, we found out that we could stay toe-to-toe with this team," Juda-Albany coach Bill Davis said. "Jessica Crull has been stepping up for us all year. She's a really good player. We had Sara Jordan and Katlyn Steinmann step up and Alexis Goecks had a big triple. We got it from different spots in the order. The girls played their hearts out. Unfortunately, we ended up on the wrong side of it."
The Panthers again rallied in the fourth. Juda-Albany senior Cheyenne Ambler reached on catcher's interference. Becker moved courtesy runner Mackenzie Byrne into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Steinmann followed with an RBI single to center to cut the Oaks' lead to 3-2.
"It's an amazing feeling and honor to be at state," Steinmann said. "We were always striving to be 1-0 every game. It's an amazing feeling to come back when you are down. I hope next year's team can carry that on."
The Panthers came back to tie the game in the fifth. Juda-Albany sophomore Goecks ripped a triple to right and Crull followed with a game-tying RBI single to tie the game at 3.
Juda-Albany had a golden opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the seventh. Freshman Hailey Kammerer hit a towering fly ball to right. Oakfield's right fielder Hannah Flury and center fielder Karissa Ryan collided and dropped the ball and it was ruled a double. However, Davis waved Kammerer to third and she was thrown out as the potential game-winning run.
Davis didn't second-guess his call to send Kammerer to third on the play.
"I thought it was huge to get her (Kammerer) to third," Davis said. "The outfielders were going away from the infield and it took a good relay. It's no secret with the top of our lineup we have some good bunters. If we get her on third, than we could have used a squeeze bunt. I think it was the right choice."
The Oaks cashed in on their opportunity in the eighth, scoring three runs. Oakfield's Brianna Sabel reached on an error and Ryan singled. Oakfield's Madelyn Ryan lined a line drive off Goecks' glove for a two-run RBI single to give the Oaks a 5-3 lead.
Becker pitched a complete game and gave up three earned runs on eight hits. She struck out eight and didn't issue a walk.
"She (Becker) threw a great game probably good enough to get the win," Davis said. "In the eighth inning, they sat back and took a couple of changeups the other way. That is not something they were doing earlier in the game."
Crull made sure the Panthers wouldn't go down without a fight in the bottom of the eighth when she hit a solo home run to left that hit the top of the wall and bounced over the fence.
"It was huge," Crull said of hitting a home run at Goodman Diamond. "I was really happy I did that."
With five starters returning next year, Juda-Albany has big expectations.
"Teams will get better and we will too," Crull said. "We know what it's like now. We will really have to work hard and play our hearts out to do it again."
Davis is looking forward to having a team with so many young starters returning next season.
"I hope that they stay motivated," he said. "I hope that they are hungry to do it again."
