- April 16, 2024
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The Flagler Palm Coast softball team fell short of a District 2-6A championship after losing Friday, April 22, in the bottom of the ninth inning, 7-6, against DeLand. Despite the loss, the Lady Bulldogs moved on to the state playoffs.
Flagler Palm Coast center fielder Kayla Lamphier said earlier this month that she doesn’t intend on graduating until her softball team can beat district foe DeLand. After the Lady Bulldogs’ crushing extra-innings defeat Friday, April 22, in the District 2-6A championship, Lamphier has to hope everything goes according to plan for her and her teammates to get one more shot.
FPC led the entire game Friday night up until the bottom of the seventh inning. After inducing a groundout by the leadoff batter, FPC pitcher Kelsey Donahue was two outs away from helping her team win its first district championship in more than four seasons. However, two dropped pop-ups allowed DeLand to plate two runs, tying the game at 6-6, and sending it to extra innings. FPC once led 6-1.
Both offenses were silent in the eighth inning, and then, in the bottom of the ninth, everything crumbled for FPC.
DeLand senior catcher Shellie Robinson, who had already clobbered two homers in her first two at-bats, was given her second-straight intentional walk. Then, Katie Holder laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Robinson into scoring position with no outs. Kaylyn Freeborough, of DeLand, then stepped into the batter’s box. Freeborough hit a one-hopper to FPC shortstop Destiny Kelly, who fielded the ball and threw on to first base. FPC first baseman Sam Mittel caught the throw for the apparent putout, but Freeborough slid hard into first base, causing Mittel to fall over. As Mittel hit the clay, the ball squirted out of the glove. While all of this happened, Robinson made it to third, saw what was happening, and headed toward home plate. Because Mittel was tied up with Freeborough, she couldn’t get to the ball quickly enough, and a throw home was not in time. Robinson scored. DeLand won.
The play caused mixed emotions from the packed crowd at Daytona State College. The DeLand supporters exploded in excitement. The FPC supporters were silent; shocked. FPC coach Sarah Poppe questioned the play, but the umpires stood their ground. The game was over. The DeLand Bulldogs sprinted toward left field in excitement. Across the outfield, several players on the FPC team shed tears of disappointment. Nine innings of intense softball left them with the feeling of bitter defeat.
“The call at first base was the umpire’s judgment, not an interpretation of a rule,” Poppe said. “I appealed the fact that I thought the DeLand player had obstructed (Mittel’s) ability to make a play at the plate.”
Despite the loss, FPC advanced to the state playoffs, and Poppe still believes her team has what it takes to make a run.
“I’ve been telling the girls that they have what it takes to win it all,” Poppe said.
FPC senior Kelsey Donahue allowed six hits over seven innings. Donahue also went 2-for-3 at the plate. FPC third baseman Casey Senkowsky went 2-for-3 with four RBIs, and Lee Ann Spivey went 2-for-4 with a double.
Perhaps what made Poppe the most proud was the way her players and coaches handled the difficult loss.
“I was very proud of my girls in the way they acted and reacted on Friday,” said Poppe, “and I would also like to thank my team and assistant coaches for being first class.”
In the end, Lamphier said it was a tough loss, but ignited a fire within her team to push forward.
“We’ve put that game behind us, and we’ve moved our focus to beating Mandarin,” she said.
FPC (21-7) traveled to play Mandarin 7 p.m. Wednesday, while DeLand (22-3) hosted Fletcher the same night. The two winners will play 4 p.m. Friday, April 29, in the Class 6A regional semifinals.
