Fatima captures third straight district softball title

WESTPHALIA - A play that was simultaneously uplifting for Fatima and deflating for Linn proved to be the difference in Friday's championship game of the Class 2 District 9 Softball Tournament.

The play, a disputed runner's interference call that went Fatima's way, gave the Lady Comets an emotional lift they used to help claim an 8-1 victory. It's Fatima's third straight district championship and fifth in the last six years.

The pivotal moment came with Linn at the plate in the top of the fifth and Fatima clinging to a 1-0 lead. It got the Lady Comets got out of a jam and they tacked on six runs in their half of the frame to take a lead that proved to be insurmountable.

"I think that one call kind of changed the momentum to our direction, but still, we were able to take advantage of it," Fatima coach Dana Scheppers said. "I'm glad the girls did that and put the pressure on (Linn)."

Fatima had scored the game's only run to that point in the bottom of the third when Bridget Holterman reached on an error, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on another error.

Linn seemed primed to tie it with two outs in the fifth when singles by Rachel Keilholz and Aspen Brune and a stolen base by Brune put runners at second and third.

Hayley Dorton then hit a ball the Fatima shortstop handled with Brune in the vicinity and when no throw was made to any base, Keilholz appeared to score the tying run.

But after a lengthy discussion by the three-umpire crew, the home-plate umpire ruled Brune had interfered with the shortstop and the third out was called.

Fatima took advantage of the change in momentum, scoring the six runs in the bottom of the frame thanks to four hits, two errors, two stolen bases and a hit batter. The big blow in the frame was a three-run triple by Raegan Huhn.

"(The call) was not what won or lost the ballgame, it's all the garbage that went on after that," Linn coach Renee Heidger said. "If we could have held that next inning, we could have come back at them, but we lost focus and it snowballed a little bit on us."

Heidger added it's tough to stay focused in a situation like that, especially with a relatively young squad.

"I'm hoping with more experience and maturity, we will be able to get past moments like that and not let them dictate our next inning," she said. "I told the girls I was also upset and I wasn't as focused as I needed to be, so maybe next year I'll be more mature as well."

The Lady Comets could have scored even more in the fifth, but they had two runners thrown out on the basepaths on the same play, which started with a bunt single that scored the lead runner. Still, it woke up an offense that only had five hits in the contest.

"We needed that, because it took our bats awhile to get going," Scheppers said. "We struggled up until then."

Both teams scored a run in the sixth. In the top of the frame, Linn's Morgan Senevey led off with the second of her two hits and later scored on a single by Darby Nolting, her second hit of the contest.

Fatima got its final run in the bottom of the inning when Katelyn Plassmeyer had a bunt single, stole second and scored on an infield RBI single by Holterman.

Fatima was opportunistic on the basepaths, stealing nine bases after Linn lost starting catcher Hailey McKim to an injury sustained in Thursday's semifinal win against South Callaway.

"We just tried not to dwell on what happened," Heidger said. "We knew we didn't have her, so we went to Plan B and put the best team on the field we could. You've just got to go with what you've got."

Macy Berhorst got the win for Fatima, allowing one earned run while throwing a complete-game seven-hitter and striking out nine. Senevey took the loss, giving up five hits and striking out two.

Linn ends its season with a record of 19-7.

"It was a fun game until just that one inning, but you've got to play seven," Heidger said.

Fatima, which improves to 14-12, advances to Wednesday's sectional game to be played at the home field of the winner of today's District 10 title game between Blair Oaks and New Bloomfield in California.

"After the slow start we had this season, I'm proud of everything the girls have accomplished," Scheppers said. "They're finally playing the way they're capable of playing. Everybody is getting comfortable and seeing how fun it is, and hopefully we can continue it.

"Wednesday will be a really tough matchup, whether it's Blair Oaks or New Bloomfield. I don't know which way that one's going to go."