(Benson, AZ) Senior Night in the town of Benson Arizona may not be the same for years or even decades to come after what was witnessed on the softball field this night.
Even though the Bobcat’s season is not over, the five seniors who gave their heart and soul to this school and team were honored prior to the regular season finale.
Aly Fenn/photo Max Preps
Mikayla Wales, Aly Fenn, Jamie Barney, Abby Workman and Katie Sherman wanted to give their family, friends and fans one more treat and leave their legacy on the same field that so many highlights and memories have already taken place.
The past two seasons have been nothing short of a “Field of Dreams” not only for the seniors on this year’s squad, but the players who won the first State Championship in 2017 and last year repeat effort of 2018.
The goal is to “three-peat” for this year’s Bobcat team, but first things first. The Yellow Jackets from Tombstone High were coming to town and would like nothing better than to knock off the two time champs.
Jaime Barney
After Sherman struck out the side the top of the fist inning, it was no surprise that Benson came out swinging. Sherman’s stick drove in the first two runs on a single in the bottom of the inning and the route was on. Workman had two hits in the same inning and fellow senior Barney kept the run parade going. Even though the Cats scored nine first inning runs, it was highlighted by Emily Darwin’s jack to left field.
This was like a prize fight where the champ came out knocked the challenger silly before they knew what was happening.
Abby Workman/photo Max Preps
Nine runs to come back on from kids in west Cochise County is like climbing Mount Everest; many have tried but few have succeeded.
Tombstone, still groggy from the first inning shellacking went hitless in the second and ironically, this was the only inning the Bobcats didn’t score.
Senior’s Sherman, Workman, Fenn, Barney and Wales continued their hitting assault in the home half of the third and when all was said and done eleven more runs crossed the plate and the thought of a Yellowjacket upset was a distant memory.
Katie Sherman
Sherman working on her fourth no hitter and third perfect game in the month of April kept getting ahead of the Tombstone batters by throwing first ball strikes. The slap happy offense poured salt into wound of their neighbors to east by putting up another double digit inning and scored ten more runs to put the lead at a gaudy 30-0 and that’s how it ended.
Sherman who was #11 in the nation’s strikeout list added to her totals with thirteen more K’s. The bigger stat is she only faced the minimum fifteen batters in the run rule shortened game and threw forty three pitches with forty two of them being strikes! Fourteen of the fifteen batters were out on three pitches or less. Four no hitters with three perfect games, those are insane stats at any level.
The Senior Big 5 made their mark in their final home game. Wales went 3-4 with 4 runs, Fenn 2-2 with 4 RBI and 4 runs, Barney 2-4 with 3 RBI, 4 runs and 2 walks, Sherman 4-4 with 3 RBI and 4 runs and capped off by Workman’s 5-5 with 3 RBI and 4 runs scored. Twenty of the thirty runs and fourteen RBI came from the Class of 2019.
Mikayla Wales
If any senior class has made more of an impact on a regular season’s last game it would be as rare as Sherman’s forty two strikes in forty three pitches.
Tears of joy and sadness were abundant in the stands in this close knit town as they said “goodbye” to a part of history that may never be matched in their lifetimes.
With the regular season over, focus is now turned to the ultimate task, winning their third consecutive AIA 2A State Championship. The official bracket should be out tomorrow but the Bobcat kids are sure to be at the top.
Now will be the time that Junior Letty Lopez, Sophomores Brooklynne Pullis, Taylor Fenn, Emily Darwin, Ashlynn Poulsen, Lily Speer and Kayla Sherman take the reigns while keeping the bar high and forge their own identity. They’ve had the best of tutors, some playing with their older sisters. The job first year head coach Brittney Batten has done will continue this dynasty with new but seasoned leaders in 2020.
This story is not over but just beginning as the slates are wiped clean and all playoff teams start fresh at 0-0. Stay tuned the ride will only get better.
