Seton softball rallies twice, puts away Marcos de Niza

April 6, 2013 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Talk about winning the games that count. Seton Catholic's softball team is the epitome of that.

The Lady Sentinels came from behind twice in the early innings and finished with a flourish on Saturday morning in defeating vistiing Marcos de Niza, 8-4, in a Division II contest. 

Sophomore Olivia Burdick, knocked around for four runs and six hits in the first three innings, settled in the rest of the way while her teammates picked up the offensive pace. Burdick allowed two hits and no runs the last four innings. She finished with eight strikeouts and walked two.

"She's been the one we go to most," longtime Seton coach Jerry Mullin said. "We alternated pitchers in the tournaments we played. (Olivia) was much better today once she got past the third Their first three or four hitters were pretty tough."

Seton, which played in the Red Mountain and Desert Mountain Invitationals -- which aren't for the faint of heart -- posted a 2-11 mark in those tournaments going against mainly strong D-I and D-II opponents. Seton's win Saturday showed another side of the Lady Sentinels as they ran their power-ranking record to 10-0 and snuck past the .500 mark overall (12-11) for the first time this season.

Marcos de Niza (10-14, 7-5 prg) took a 1-0 lead in the first, fell behind 3-1 after two and then posted their best inning of the game in the third. The Lady Padres scored three runs on four hits that frame. Kyla Jacobs-Cornish drove in one run (two RBI for the day) and Korynn Molina singled in two more as Marcos regained the lead 4-3. The bases were loaded with two outs and No. 9 hitter Taylor Homes was at bat with a chance to add more. The inning ended prematurely when the runner on second left early and was called out.

"I didn't see it, but it must have been obvious," Mullin said. "Who knows what might have happened."

Seton came right back in its half of the fourth to score twice and lead for good. McKenna Wiegard tripled and scored on a single by Vanessa Flores (2 RBI for the game). Flores eventually scored the go-ahead run by moving up on a wild pitch, a ground out and finally crossing home on a wild pitch.

Seton put up a trio of insurance runs in the sixth. A dropped foul pop up started the inning and the Lady Sentinels made Marcos pay by singling with her second chance. One out and five consecutive hits later (four infield hits) and Seton's lead was 8-4.

Burdick, Kebra Faulkner and Alex Dorsey each had an RBI for Seton and Wilson and Kaitlin Amorosi hadd two hits apiece. Marcos de Niza's attack was led by leadoff hitter Mariah Romero and Molina with two hits each.