2A SOFTBALL: Benson wins two in a row
May 8, 2018 by Andy Morales, AZPreps365
Benson (Andy Morales/AZPreps365.com)
Softball powerhouse programs from Southern Arizona? Well, there’s the usual suspects, but if one were to look at the championship honor roll then, Benson should be on your short list. Benson?
Yes.
Benson beat Camp Verde 7-3 Tuesday night to claim the 2A state championship game played at Farrington Stadium on the campus of Arizona State and, in doing so, the Bobcats joined the “Giants” of Southern Arizona by claiming the fifth title in school history.
Canyon del Oro has nine championships, as does San Manuel. Sahuaro has eight and Benson comes next with five thanks to back-to-back championships. Is it because Benson has been around for over 100 years and the Bobcats have been playing for decades? No, the first championship came in 2006.
Benson (35-1-1) is led by junior pitcher Katie Sherman (25-1) and a trio of hitters including senior Emmarae Wilson (58 RBI, 11 doubles, four triples, 13 home runs), junior Abby Workman (60 RBI, 17 doubles, 11 home runs) and freshman Emily Darwin (73 RBI, 18 doubles, four triples, 17 home runs). Darwin is also 8-0 from the circle.
Benson takes the 2A Championship 7-3 pic.twitter.com/Dwqb4qpszo
— Andy Morales (@AZPreps365Andy) May 9, 2018
All that pitching and all that power turned into an early lead against Camp Verde (26-7) with Workman knocking in Mikayla Wales to put the Bobcats up 1-0 with two outs in the bottom of one and Darwin followed that up with a towering home run to pace her team to a 3-0 lead.
“Coach tells us every time Darwin hits a home run that anything hit that far should have a stewardess on it,” Sherman said. “She’s a stud and I love her.”
(Emily Darwin/Andy Morales/AZPreps365.com)
Darwin’s 17 home runs places her third in all of Arizona and her 73 RBIs pushes her to the top of the list in that category.
“It’s crazy,” Darwin said. “I really don’t feel that much pressure but my job is to be an example for the other freshmen on our team. The older girls have helped me be a team leader.”
Workman picked up an RBI double in the third and Workman came around and scored on an error later in the inning to put the Bobcats up 5-0. Darwin had an RBI double in the fifth and Workman scored on another error to help put the Bobcats up 7-0.
Sherman gave up a no hitter in the fifth and she was in a groove with seven strikeouts, but it’s difficult to keep a good team down for long and the Cowboys came alive in the top of the sixth.
Miranda Sharp came up with a walk to start the inning off, Cassandra Casillas came up with a bunt single and Tyra Smith did the same to load the bases with no outs. Hailey Moore brought in Sharp on a fielder’s choice and freshman Jenn Huey did the same to cut the lead down to 7-2.
It looked like Sherman was going to escape further damage but Jacy Finley hit a shot to the outfield to make it 7-3. Jade Oium followed with a single to put two on but Sherman closed to door and held on for the 7-3 win.
Finley (21-4) took the circle for the Cowboys and the 6-foot-4 inch sophomore is also one of the team leaders with 45 RBI and three home runs. Her future looks bright.
“We’re a very young team but we were very motivated and wanted to win this game,” Finley said. “We are very much like a family, playing together every step of the way.”
Jacy Finley (Andy Morales/AZPreps365.com)
Henry Smith led the Cowboys to a runner-up finish in 2016 and a semifinal finish last year. With only three seniors and two juniors on his roster, Smith is sure to be right back next year.
“We came up short and we aren’t satisfied,” Smith explained. “But, at the end of the day, we are the second best team in the state. I’m proud how much they competed for me and our staff.”
Yogi Wilson (61-8-1) is in his second year at Benson and he loses two seniors to graduation. The Bobcats will be loaded once again. Don’t be surprised if we see the same two teams next year.
Camp Verde (Andy Morales/AZPreps365.com)