BonnerSprings.com / Bravettes swept on Senior Night

Between games Monday night, parents and teammates took time to recognize the outgoing seniors for this year. Those playing their last home game that night were (from left) Chelsea Crouch, Sadie Kelly, Ashlee Espinoza and Wendy Deleon. Enlarge photo — Photo by Kevin Anderson

By Nick Bates

May 8, 2008

Basehor-Linwood spoiled Bonner Springs’ softball Senior Night on Monday by sweeping a doubleheader, 7-2 and 9-0.

The night followed an all-too-familiar trend for the Bravettes with a close loss in the first game followed by a blowout in the second game.

In the first game Bonner took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. After Sadie Kelly was hit by a pitch to start the inning, Carli Turner singled. Lady Bobcats pitcher Shelby Pierce struck out the next two batters, but a clutch hit by Nancy DeLeon settled into right field and allowed Kelly and Turner to score.

While pitching, Kelly held the Lady Bobcats in check until the sixth inning when Chelsey Patton tripled. She scored when Megan Rehm reached on a throwing error. Rehm scored on a double by Kara Douglas that tied the game at 2-2.

The momentum clearly shifted.

“We played five solid innings of softball until we had one mistake,” Bonner Springs coach Roger Davidson said. “(One) knew that the momentum had left our dugout and gone over to theirs.”

In the top of the seventh, Jennifer Sirridge, Patton and Rehm each had run-scoring singles, and Patton and Rehm scored safely on two wild pitches to cap Basehor’s five-run inning.

Basehor shut down Bonner in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the 7-2 victory. Pierce took the win on the mound for the Lady Bobcats.

In the second game, Basehor had a 3-0 lead going into the top of the sixth inning. The Lady ’Cats batted around that inning and opened up a 9-0 lead.

Pierce allowed only five hits to help grab her second victory of the evening.

Between games, BSHS honored its senior class of Kelly, Chelsea Crouch, Wendy DeLeon and Ashlee Espinoza. They received commemorative softballs, gifts and flowers on the field as parents and friends clapped. The parents also prepared a spread of grilled meats and snacks and served cold beverages to the girls during the break.

They noted that it was their last home game, so why not go all out and throw a party?

“They are a great bunch of girls. I hope the younger girls are watching the seniors, because they have a lot to learn from them,” Davidson said.

BSHS has a week to practice before regionals begin. Regional game locations and times will be announced Saturday.