3A STATE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP : Lady Elks confident heading into Class 3A championship game
Posted on Saturday, May 17, 2008
Elkins' road to a second consecutive state championship hasn't had many bumps.
Sure, the highs have been high and the lows have been low, but it's hard to find a smudge on the Lady Elks' 2008 résumé.
Today, they're hoping to keep the storyline on the same page against Bismarck in the Class 3 A state championship.
"Any time you have a chance at a second state title, it's a big deal," Elkins head coach Paula Wheeler said. "The girls certainly have some confidence going into [today ]."
Elkins (29-2 ) rides an eight-game winning streak into today's 2 p.m. championship game at Lady'Back Yard. The highlights have been impressive. A district and regional title, an undefeated record against 3 A teams and a chance at setting the school's record for wins in a season is at hand.
Senior pitcher Amber Caywood (27-2 ) has been the catalyst during the year at the plate and in the pitcher's circle. Her pitching exploits include 77 strikeouts in the last eight games, a 0. 54 ERA and shutouts in five postseason games highlight her recent domination.
To cap that, she pitched six perfect games in the regular season.
And then there's her plate appearances, where she led the team in batting average (. 544 ), while striking out just once in the regular season.
Her confidence, right now, is sky-high, Wheeler said.
"Sometimes your players will not be very concentrated in some games," Wheeler said. "But I know they'll be ready."
Elkins' bid for a second straight title will mark the culmination of the most successful stretch of softball in the school's history. Led by Caywood's incredible run that included a state finals appearance in her freshman year in 2005, the Lady Elks have made it to the state semifinals every year since.
Last year's 9-2 win over Pottsville in the championship certainly showed their improvement since a 9-0 loss to Farmington in the 2005 state championship.
And Elkins has come up big in the big games again this season. Against Fayetteville on April 4, Caywood and the Lady Elks run-ruled the favorites to win the 7 A state title, 10-0. Not one Lady Bulldog runner advanced past second base.
"Our game against Fayetteville was really big for us," Wheeler said.
"Our confidence really went up," Caywood said. "It was a wake-up call. We had just beaten the best team in the state. I don't even think we were expecting that."
Fayetteville, which lost to just two teams this season, plays North Little Rock today at 10 a.m. for the opportunity to claim its third straight Class 7 A state championship.
Much has changed for Elkins in the last four seasons. Three years ago, Farmington run-ruled the Lady Elks with ease, outscoring them 30-3 in three games in the 2005 season. And then there was the loss in the state championship to the Lady Cardinals.
But in 2008, they knock off the best with ease, even if the opponent is in the largest classification in the state.
Confidence and growth has been the key, Wheeler said.
"Whenever [Caywood ] is pitching, her teammates have great confidence in her and they know they can win," Wheeler said, matterof-factly. "And she has great confidence in her teammates. They're ready."
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