Had Alana Watts not poked a squirrel with a water bottle, Chesapeake softball might not have been able to unload an 8-0 avalanche on its neighboring rival and earn a Class 3A state quarterfinals ticket.
Before a third inning delay in which one of the game’s officials dove bravely into the Cougars dugout and wrenched the screeching rodent out by its tail, Chesapeake’s nerves were as taut as rubber bands. Yes, they squashed Northeast in April by 11 runs, but knew this time wouldn’t be the same. Two scoreless innings had already proved that.
Something about the comedic break had a relaxing effect on them. Even four straight innings with Eagles runners threatening from scoring position couldn’t shake them.
“Having that little time out to get the squirrel out gave us a little breather,” Chesapeake coach Brittany Owen said. “We refocused, recharged and the girls came out and played their butts out. They wanted to win.”
And two at-bats without a hit couldn’t rattle Watts as she stepped into the box in the top of the sixth. Rylee Hyde (3-for-3) waited for her move from first base. Watts glanced at her father, who said, “Get mad.”
“That’s exactly what I did,” the senior said.
Watts’ RBI triple sailed as far as it could in center field, plating the game’s first run. After ripping her coach a high-five, Watts (2-for-4, three RBIs) cycled through every dance move she knew — “I didn’t know which celly to do,” she said.
“It started off a domino effect,” Owen said.
All Chesapeake (16-3) had really waited for, Owen said, was to lure Eagles starter Kayleigh Fyffe to pitch to them. An inning later, the Cougars loaded the bases without an out and piled on seven more runs, an explosive end that featured senior Kacey Slade as the highlight.
Slade nearly had an RBI hit the inning before, but it was ruled foul. She eventually struck out.
She wouldn’t again. Slade blasted Fyffe’s pitch beyond the wall, contributing three runs to Chesapeake’s haul.
“Even if it takes us to the last inning, we can get these hits,” Slade said, “and win.”
Before the top seventh, Northeast coach Joe Hart felt good. A 1-0 deficit might be just what his Eagles needed to spark a comeback.
“I think Kay ran out of gas. And I took the heat on it because I didn’t have Presley [McGinty] ready to come in,” Hart said. “We had to live with it.”
Hitting came in relief for Chesapeake’s starting asset: defense. Its bread-and-butter all year, the Cougars’ fielding was spotless when it needed to be. Because of it, the Eagles (16-2) left 10 runners in scoring position.
“I kept asking them to wait and let the ball travel and we’d just lay out in front of it and miss it,” Hart said.
The Cougars drilled third-to-home situationals all year — preparation they’d end up needing when Northeast freshman Kaileigh Arrington loomed on third base in the bottom of the third.
McGinty sent a sharp crack to deep infield. Arrington flew home while shortstop Lexi Laumann dug the ball from the dirt and flung it.
Dust curled around Arrington as she dove for home plate — a heartbeat after Laumann’s throw met catcher Ryleigh Smoot’s glove for a tag.
“I just keep telling them to go out there and have fun,” Owen said. “The more you think about it, you mess up. Play with your heart. Play with a purpose.”
Winning this game meant more to Chesapeake than advancing back to the state tournament. Even after routing Northeast, an uncharacterstic collapse to Crofton barred the Cougars from last week’s county championship game Northeast went on to win.
“They said it was the weather, or they weren’t trying,” Watts recalled, glancing to the Eagles’ dugout. “What happened now? Cougars come out on top.”
Three wins separate Chesapeake from its ninth state title in program history. Alumni from those years, from former Team USA star Lauren Gibson to longtime coach Don Ellenberger, looked at this team with approval, that this group of Cougars had every chance to do what they did.
In March, Owen hadn’t been certain. There were too many questions, ones that the Croftons and Northeasts of the county didn’t have. But they certainly aren’t any there now.
“This season, they proved they are one of the best teams in the county and state. They want it. They push through as a team, pick each other up,” Owen said. “I’m proud that my seniors get to go out like this.”
Chesapeake’s Amya Murphy pitches during Thursday’s regional final against Northeast. (Terrance Williams/Freelance)
Chesapeake — 000 001 7 — 8 12 1
Northeast — 000 000 0 — 0 7 2
WP: CH — Cavey; LP: NE — Fyffe
2B: CH — Schaefer; 3B: CH — Watts; NE — Arrington; HR: CH — Slade
