July 20, 2024
BY BOB JUDSON
OGDEN, UT — For the fourth time in four innings, Crossfire Fastpitch (Meridian, ID) shortstop Lauren Colson yelled “ball, ball, ball” as she settled under an infield popup at Fourth Street Park.
Colson squeezed the softball and Crossfire advanced in the Triple Crown 14u World Series tournament with an 8-0 run-rule victory over Absolute Blast (Woodinville, WA) on Friday.
“In practice, that’s how we learn so we don’t run into each other. I like the ball; I want the ball,” Colson said. “So, if I see it in the air, I’ll call for it and people know to back off. But if someone else calls with a bigger number on the field, then I know to move and back up; that’s how we roll.”
Crossfire starting pitcher Megan McCormick induced nine total Absolute Blast batters to hit the ball in the air or on a line somewhere, and Colson had two other assists in the field to record half of the total outs for her team.
“I felt especially confident in my defense today. I knew I could throw it anywhere, whether right down the middle or six feet away from the plate, and if they swung, my defense had my back,” McCormick said. “I knew they would get it. Anything going to any of my infielders or outfielders was caught or fielded.”
Absolute Blast, by contrast, committed four errors in the last two innings when Crossfire scored all eight of its runs. Eight of the first nine Crossfire batters reached base safely in the second inning, as they scored six runs.
“The first inning is hard for us. We usually start going in the second inning because we adapt to the pitcher,” Colson said. “First inning we see the pitcher. Second inning we know how she pitches.”
Grace Groulx led off the second inning with a single and one out later, Colson drove her in with a single for the first run of the game. “When I’m in the box, I want to keep it simple. I’m just trying to get a hit for my team, to get on base and score,” Colson said.
After back-to-back Absolute Blast errors, McCormick the hitter lined a single for another run and third baseman Taryn Peterman also had an RBI in the inning.
Colson doubled and scored another run in the third inning on a sacrifice fly by catcher Hadley Griggs. In the circle, McCormick allowed two singles, walked one and didn’t record a strikeout.
“I didn’t geta lot of strikeouts, which is fine, because I got weird spinners and popups for my defense,” McCormick said. “I have all my pitches, curve, screw, rise, drop, change and fastball – we don’t throw that a lot. Throwing a backdoor curve (screw) to lefties especially is a fun pitch to throw.”
This was an impressive comeback win for Crossfire, which lost a one-run heartbreaker immediately preceding their blowout victory Friday.
“It was really tough after the first game; almost all of our girls were down on that,” Colson said. “We needed to forget about it; it’s in the past. Go onto the next game and fulfill our potential.”
For her part, McCormick said she was ready for possibly three games on Saturday if Crossfire reaches the championship.
“I’ve got plenty of arm and plenty of confidence for tomorrow,” the 14-year-old said.
