July 5, 2024
ARVADA, Clo. — If scoring is contagious, then NH Prospects-Kraytenberg 2026 16u set off a full-blown pandemic against Diamond Heist 16u on Thursday morning at Pioneer Park.
Diamond Heist couldn’t do anything to stop them in their 23-4 barrage during the last day of pool play of the Triple Crown 16u Sparkler tournament. The victory, however bombastic, was just what the Prospects needed to right the ship ahead of the double-elimination tournament, which starts on Friday.
The outcome boiled down to which team had the cleanest pitching and defense. Earlier in the day, the team out of New Hampshire fell 8-0 to Elevate NW Elite 07.
“Obviously, pitchers do have a big part in the game. They kind of run the circus and it all depends on how you do and how you showcase yourself and how you carry yourself,” pitcher Phoebe Hood said. "I think it just shows we like to kind of clear our minds after (a loss) for a fresh start and just come back from it.”
Hood kept the Prospects steady from the circle, collecting six strikeouts and allowing just six hits. NH Prospects hit the ball 12 times, by comparison.
Abbie Gaynor brought the pain in each of her at-bats, securing six RBI off of two hits, including a three-run home run over the center-left field fence in the bottom of the second inning. Rihana Gomez was the only Prospect to out-produce her, knocking in four runs with one at-bat thanks to a center field grand slam.
Gaynor’s performance came as a breath of fresh air.
“It meant a lot to me because I had been struggling, so I had been working really hard to come here and make those adjustments to really showcase what I can do,” Gaynor said. “I was struggling to keep my weight back. My weight was going forward, so I really worked on keeping my body balanced in the start and then keeping my weight back.”
The Prospects scored first off of a wild pitch in the bottom of the first inning, an omen of what would come to pass over the next hour and a half. Gaynor secured her first RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly during the next at-bat, and Gracy Spirito got in on the action with her own RBI before Diamond Heist ended the inning.
Diamond Heist returned the favor in the top of the second, sending Brylee Brungardt-Davis, Brookelyn Bynum and Trystan Blair home on a series of errors from the Prospects. Then the Prospects really let it rip. They batted around in both the second and third innings, utilizing a series of walks, hits by pitch and wild pitches to supplement aggressive base running and hits.
By game’s end, 12 ladies scored at least one run with their own two feet, with 10 batting a few runs in themselves. NH Prospects got on base through 13 walks, as Sophie Huynh, Spirito, Adriana Delaney, Sophia Romano and Gaynor all channeled their inner thieves to steal a total of eight bases.
“We work on (base running) a lot, trying to get down to any bobble by the catcher or reading the ball down,” head coach Steve Kraytenberg said. “We try to take the extra base without breaking stride. It really helps. It invigorates the team. It actually creates energy for us when you're flat in the first game.”
They’re hoping their massive victory will give way to a favorable seed during the double-elimination tournament.
“I haven't played with this entire group this summer, but this team is filled with amazing hitters and it's really showing this weekend,” Gaynor said. “They're really showing up. The bats have been on fire and I can't wait to see where they take us in this tournament.”
