Offense is the name of the game for Mingus Union High School’s softball team in 2018, but its defense is no slouch either.
The Marauders [4-0, 2-0 Grand Canyon Region] have given up nine runs in five power-point games while scoring 56.
“We kind of plan on this. We’re an offensive team, so we hit and we run and that’s what we do, and I think it’s been paying off,” Mingus head coach John Brown said. “For the most part we’re playing solid defense and I think it’s because we’re focused on offense, so I think that pays off.”
Mingus’ lone home game of the week came in a 9-1 win over Saguaro High School [4-2, 1-0 Skyline Region].
The hosts flexed their offensive muscle and broke the game open in the third inning, scoring five runs. Then the defense, led by senior ace Kaycee Williams’ 15 strikeouts, took over from there.
Williams went the distance and gave up one earned run on three hits and six walks, and the Sabercats got just four baserunners across the final four innings of play.
“Definitely our mindset and attitudes; we’ve been working on that a lot and our pitching is doing a pretty good job of shutting them down,” Mingus senior shortstop Nikki Zielinski said.
Meanwhile, the Marauders could have ended the game in a run-rule decision, but stranded two runners on base in the fourth and fifth frames. For all of the offense they generate, leaving runners on has been something to be worked out.
“We leave them on base at the end of the game,” Brown said. “The last three innings, it seems like once we get a pretty good lead, we leave them on, we coast a little bit, or maybe we try to do too much, and I think that’s what we’re going to try to work on, is just trying to stay consistent instead of trying to up our game.”
Mingus got on the board first with Zielinski drawing a leadoff walk. Zielinski eventually scored on a groundout by sophomore catcher Jasmine Shults, and senior left fielder Bailey Brown crossed home on a passed ball to make it 2-0.
Saguaro scored its lone run in the top of the third inning. Sabercats sophomore right fielder Kelsey Freeman, the team’s ninth batter in the lineup, walked and found home immediately after on a triple to center field by sophomore pitcher Caelen Koch.
In response, Williams fanned two of Saguaro’s final three batters to end the inning, and the Marauders busted the game open in the bottom half of the frame.
They batted through their lineup, Zielinski again starting things off with a hard-hit ball that got tied up in Koch’s legs.
She then scored from first base on a double by senior left fielder Bailey Brown. Williams doubled Bailey Brown home.
Shults, who after the game admitted to taking the wrong sign, ended up laying down a bunt and reached first when Sabercats sophomore catcher Brooke Piazza was blocked by her own teammate from throwing to first. The Saguaro defense fell asleep, and Shults continued on to second base.
Mingus sophomore Dylan Sweeney, courtesy running for Shults, scored on a single after sophomore courtesy runner Jordyn Cromer crossed home on a wild pitch, making it 6-1.
Finally junior third baseman Lacey Saravo scored on junior second baseman Ashley McCracken’s fielder’s choice.
In the fifth inning, with the bases loaded with zero outs, Zielinski stepped up to the plate and sent the ball into the right field fence to score the team’s final two runs.
The team is now in the heart of its regular season schedule, and John Brown is happy with where his team is at.
“I look forward to the tournament because we’re going to bring up some of the younger kids and see how they do so we see what we have for depth,” he said. “I’m just feeling really good about it, we’ve just got to stay healthy, that’s all. Stay the course, stay the course.”
The Marauders traveled to Notre Dame Preparatory High School on Tuesday, March 13, winning 13-1.
Then they went to the Grace Lee Haught Classic in Payson from Thursday to Saturday, March 15 through 17, going 5-1. They hosted Winslow High School, the only team they lost to at the tournament, on Tuesday, March 20, but results were unavailable at press time.
Next up is one of its toughest regular season games, a 3:45 p.m. game at Cactus High School on Wednesday, March 21. Grand Canyon Region play resumes with a doubleheader at 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday, March 24, at Mohave High School.
