By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
A balance of good pitching, flawless defense and relentless hitting is sending the Topeka High softball team back to the state tournament for the second straight season.
Topeka High softball celebrates its Class 6A regional championship Wednesday at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Topeka High softball poses for a team picture after winning a Class 6A regional championship Wednesday at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
The Trojans had no trouble handling the competition in Class 6A West Regional No. 3, blasting Wichita Heights 15-0 and Wichita Northwest 11-1 Wednesday at Hummer Sports Park.
The Trojans outhit their opponents 20-9 and did not commit an error in the field. Their pitchers combined to strike out nine batters and walked just one.
“We’re a complete team. If all three phases are working, we’re really tough to beat and a really tough out,” said Topeka High coach Shane Miles. “If we have two of the three working, we’re still pretty tough.”
In the opening game against Wichita Heights, Topeka High starting pitcher Kenslee Young struck out two batters in each frame of the four-inning contest.
Leading 10-0 in the bottom of the fourth, the Trojans decided to end the first game quickly. They wrapped six hits around just one out to plate five runs, ending the game by mercy rule.
Topeka High senior Taimane Isaia hit a pair of home runs, including a grand slam, as the Trojans won a Class 6A regional championship Wednesday at Hummer Sports Park. [Photo by Todd Fertig/TSN]
Highlighting the first game romp was a second-inning grand slam by senior Taimane Isaia. She finished the game with three hits and five RBI.
In the second game, junior Campbell Dawson worked around seven base hits to hold Wichita Northwest to just one run.
Isaia went deep again in Game 2, homering in the fourth inning. Young helped lead the offensive attack with two doubles and a single in the second game.
“Every team has on and off, but lately we have been on and on and on,” Isaia said. “We are here for a reason. No one ever really talks about us. And you know what? We are here to prove people wrong.”
Miles agreed that the Trojans may have been overlooked thus far this season. He believes the team could rectify that in next week’s state tournament.
“I think we will surprise some people,” Miles said. “I’ve felt that we haven’t had the respect this year that we deserve. We’ve played some of the East schools, you know, we’ve played some competition and we’re ready to go after it.
“I like being under the radar. I like being the underdog.”
In addition to praising his team’s huge run totals in the two games, Miles complimented the effort of his pitchers.
“Kenslee is tough to beat when she’s on, and Campbell’s really tough to beat when she’s on,” Miles said. “So, having that duo, I feel like we have one of the better pitching staffs in the state. And you can add Adrianna Adame in there, too. She’s thrown a lot of innings the last couple of weeks.”
The Trojans ran their record to 25-3 on the season. Their only losses came to Washburn Rural and Hayden. But as it turns out, the Trojans are the only Topeka team heading to state.
“We got there last year, and this group that we have right now, we’re still a very young team,” Miles said. “They had a lot of experience last year at the state tournament, so it’s nice just to get back there.”
SEMIFINAL
TOPEKA HIGH 15, WICHITA HEIGHTS 0
Wichita Heights (3-18) 000 0 -- 0 2 2
Topeka High (24-3) 244 5 -- 15 10 0
Neal and Wilson. Young and Chard. W -- Young. L -- Neal. 2B -- Wichita Heights: Wallace. Topeka High: Cushinberry, Poole. 3B -- Topeka High: Dawson. HR -- Topeka High: Isaia.
CHAMPIONSHIP
TOPEKA HIGH 11, WICHITA NORTHWEST 1
Wichita Northwest (16-14) 001 00 — 1 7 1
Topeka High (25-3) 440 21 — 11 10 0
Thomas, Brungardt (5) and Soetaert. Dawson and Chard. W -- Dawson. L -- Thomas. 2B -- Wichita Northwest: Thomas. Topeka High: Young 2. 3B -- Topeka High: Dawson. HR -- Topeka High: Isaia.
