Hamilton tops Pinnacle for Desert Mtn. Softball title

March 18, 2017 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Abby Andersen had it all working Saturday afternoon in helping Hamilton win the 20th annual Desert Mountain Softball Invitational at Horizon Park.

Andersen let her pitching do the talking in a semifinal win. Her defense in the outfield stood out throughtout the title game. And she capped the day in the seventh with a two-out, 0-2 sharp grounder to Pinnacle third baseman Kris Slayton that caromed off her glove and allowed Taylor Gindlesperger to score the game's only run in a 1-0 triumph.

Hamilton (15-3) avenged its only Arizona loss of the season -- a 9-4 decision in 11 innings to Pinnacle two weeks ago -- in handing the Pioneers their first loss after a 17-0 start that included a 10-0 semifinal win over Punahou, HI. 

Andersen pitched Hamilton's 8-3 semifinal victory over Desert Vista with a solid, six-inning performance. She allowed eight hits, no walks and fanned two.

Starting in right field in the championship game, Andersen made diving catches to rob hits to end the second ( a runner was on at first at the time) and open the third  (after  that catch Pinnacle worked a single and walk.) In the sixth inning she flagged down a single by the inning's leadoff hitter, Jessica Mabrey, near the fence and fired a strike to second to nail Mabrey.

Other than the rally in the top of the seventh (a single, passed ball, sacrifice and Andersen's run-producing grounder), this was a great pitcher's battle between Hamilton's Madison Seigworth and Pinnacle's CC Cook. Both pitchers went the distance and allowed four hits each -- all singles. The game took only an hour and 20 minutes to complete .

Seigworth struck out 10 and walked two. She pitched out of th game's only jam in the third striking out Mabrey and hot-hitting Marissa Schuld back-to-back to end the threat. Cook, who along with Schuld each pitched three wins in the tourney, fanned six and did not walk a batter. Hamilton didn't get a runner to second or better off her until the seventh; Pinnacle got a runner to second twice -- the second and third. 

NOTE: Pinnacle's win in the semis saw Schuld blast her sixth homer of the tournament and   drive in three runs giving her 20 RBI for the tourney. Schuld's 12-0 win over Basha in the tournament was the ultimate perfect game. A no-hitter and 18 strikeouts in six innings. Schuld proved human in the title game as Seigworth struck her out three times.