蜜柚直播 High softball coach and local legend Bert Otero lined his players up the third base line, honoring each of the seniors as he handed out roses to close the Badger Classic.
In all of his years coaching, he鈥檚 never done anything quite like this.
Most anticipate Saturday鈥檚 5-0 victory over Sabino will be the Badgers鈥 last game. With the threat of COVID-19, the infectious disease that has shut down sports across the country and most of the world, it鈥檚 likely this team filled with promise will never find out how far it could have gone.
鈥淲e鈥檝e got to stay optimistic, but it鈥檚 tough because you know it might be the last time to see the seniors put on their uniform,鈥 Otero said. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 know, but hopefully things take care of themselves and we see another day out here.鈥
In a sense, Saturday was 鈥減erfect.鈥
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At least those are the words senior catcher Kelli Samorano used. It took a mad scramble to make it happen.
蜜柚直播鈥檚 Serinah Sanchez goes into the hole to backhand a shot from Sabino鈥檚 Gianna Pancost during Saturday鈥檚 game. It may have been the last game for the teams this season.
Cherry Field near 蜜柚直播 High鈥檚 campus was unplayable after a week鈥檚 worth of rain, but Empire High School, led by athletic director Shannon Woodridge, opened its arms to the Badgers (6-4-1). In addition, Otero felt his seniors deserved a moment to remember. The roses came from the booster club and the parents chipping in, and the 蜜柚直播 High administration lent its hand to make everything work.
Finally, roughly 100 people made the drive east to support both teams in this premature season finale.
鈥淚 wanted something to end it on a positive note for the kids, because they deserve it,鈥 Otero said. 鈥淚t all comes together when you have great people.鈥
It all came together for the Badgers on the field, too.
Samorano and junior pitcher Lisette Urquidez carried a perfect game into the fifth inning. Urquidez finished with just two hits allowed over a complete-game shutout and even provided a two-run double to help her cause.
蜜柚直播 manager senior Kaylee Miller, left, and catcher senior Kelli Samorano hug at an impromptu ceremony. 鈥淚 guess we鈥檒l find out Monday (if we鈥檒l keep playing),鈥 said Samorano. 鈥淏ut ending like this, I鈥檓 very happy.鈥
鈥淪he鈥檚 had her games where she gets down on herself, but today she did a great job,鈥 Samorano said. 鈥淚鈥檓 super proud of her. For her to end like that, it鈥檚 really good.鈥
Senior first baseman Carlie Scupin, last year鈥檚 Gatorade 蜜柚直播 Softball Player of the Year, received an intentional walk in her first three at-bats, before getting a chance to hit in potentially her final high school at-bat. She walked on five pitches.
鈥淚鈥檝e been getting intentionally walked a lot more than I had been in my past years, but it was nice for my last at-bat to get a chance to hit,鈥 Scupin, signed with 蜜柚直播, said.
鈥淲ell, we don鈥檛 know it is going to be my last at-bat, we鈥檒l see.鈥
Otero made a point to tell his players that this wasn鈥檛 the last time they鈥檒l meet, even if it鈥檚 not on the softball field. Now they await the AIA鈥檚 decision at the executive board meeting Monday to see what the future holds.
鈥淲hen we were out there, talking to our coaches, it doesn鈥檛 feel real,鈥 Samorano said. 鈥淚 guess we鈥檒l find out on Monday, but ending like this, I鈥檓 very happy.鈥
