Class 1A Knoxville Softball Sectional Championship
United vs. Illini Bluffs
(5/29/10)
Today, you get an inside look on the United Red Storm softball team. The personalities inside the uniforms. With the morning duties at the radio station, it gave me ample time to make the quick trip over to Knoxville with plenty of time to unwind.
I left Monmouth around 8:45, ensuring my arrival just outside of Knoxville at the I-74 Youth Complex around 9:15. I didn't expect there to be too much going on this early, but when I arrived at 9:15, the Red Storm were already in uniform and getting loose for their 11 a.m. game.
The first thing I did was unload all of the equipment and hang the station banner in the press box. After getting everything set up and a quick test, I headed down to the diamond. Assistant coach Jeff "Fluff" Tyrell was carrying around a seat cushion to his behind, a reference to his falling on his back coaching 3rd base in the Orion game two days prior. I told him it was a great reenactment of Tommy LaSorda.
Watching the Red Storm take batting practice, Gina Long was really smoking the ball. Several of her hits bounced off the outfield fence. Over to the other diamond, outside of the dugout were Tyrell and assistant coach Hannah Baker. Baker said she was given strict orders to not hand out the lineup, as it could change over the next 90 minutes. On Thursday, United went with Megan Patterson leading off and Gina Long in the #2 spot, while Bertelsen (normally #3), was in the nine spot. Today, Long was back to lead off, and Bertelsen was the flex player, not hitting.
Katie Bertelsen was warming up on this diamond with her batterymate Sommer Foster. They had an IPOD pumping out some new music, and Bertelsen asked "Fluff" if he had heard of the song that was playing. It was Rihanna's "Disturbia". He commented back, "You have "Rawhide" on there." Another warm up song was Lady Gaga's "Bad Girlfriend". The girls all seemed to be very relaxed and loose, and having a good time.
As I commented to Baker and Tyrell that I was surprised that Illini Bluffs hadn't arrived yet, their bus just pulled into the complex, it was 9:45. Katie Bertelsen's pitching howl has been well documented by anyone that has taken in a United softball game the past three seasons. It is also Hannah Baker's ringtone on her cell phone!
I spoke with both Katie's mom and dad before the game, Rick and Traci. Rick mentioned that there were quite a few listeners tuned into the online broadcast against Orion on Thursday night.
By 10:00, it was already 80 degrees, without a cloud in the sky. A perfect day for softball, and unfortunately I would be inside away from the beautiful weather. Though, being inside the press box may have saved me another sunburn.
The duct tape on my banner wasn't holding really well, so Kelly Hinkle brought up some nails, and that sure did the trick. For some reason, the tape held well on Thursday. I also had struggles with keeping my crowd microphone taped down throughout the game.
As the lineups were being announced, the teams lined each baseline, getting ready for the National Anthem. The crowd, then stood, awaiting the Anthem. It was scheduled to be played a little bit later, but the first pitch ended up going at 10:55, five minutes early. I asked Knoxville A.D. Chad Bahnks to hold off for about 30 seconds, as I was set to go on the air quickly, and wanted to do a quick five second intro before turning it over to the Anthem. He obliged, and everything worked out.
The Red Storm put their first two batters on base, Gina Long with a lead off walk, and Sommer Foster on a bunt down the line. The next three batters, went down 1-2-3. In the bottom half of the inning, Bertelsen struck out the first three batters for Illini Bluffs. She would finish the game with 16 strikeouts, upping her season mark to 377 and her career numbers to 1,215.
There were quick outs in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th innings. Katie Kaywood hit an infield single in the 5th inning, one of her two hits. Kaywood also scored the winning run in the 9th inning. Both teams scored a run in the 6th inning. In the top of the frame, Sommer Foster led off with a walk. She would score from 2nd base on a throwing error that flew into the outfield. Michelle Ravel would later hit a single and steal second, but was left stranded.
In the bottom of the 6th inning, the Tigers tied the game at, 1-1. Nicole Russell hit a single, and would score on a Jaycie Johnson RBI single. A short delay held up the start of the 7th inning, as umpires asked to talk with Bahnks. He was asked to talk to a group of fans down the left field fence, and it was apparently for sportsmanship reasons. Just afterwards, in the distance to the south, fireworks could be heard popping off. At the same time, an ambulance with sirens blaring screamed past on Route 97.
The game was sent into extra innings, with the game knotted, 1-1. The Red Storm put two runners in scoring position in the 8th inning, after Foster walked, and Michelle Ravel rapped her second hit of the game. United would once again strand runners in scoring position. The Red Storm left six runners in scoring position.
It appeared that the Illini Bluffs Tigers would be advancing to the 1A Supersectional, getting a triple off the bat of Arianna Young in the bottom of the 8th inning with just one out. United called time, and the infield met inside the pitcher's circle with assistant coach Rick Bertelsen. The strategy was to load the bases, by intentionally walking the next two batters, Nicole Russell and Jaycie Johnson. Katie Bertelsen, looked really nervous, or upset with intentionally walking these batters. She looked extremely focused, and had that punch out look when facing Kenzie Wall with one out and the bases loaded. She would sit Wall down, and follow that strikeout up with another K, sitting Randi Hartman down to end the inning, to the roaring delight of the United faithful.
In the top of the 9th inning, Taylor Toops pinch hit and struck out. Katie Kaywood followed, with a single. Bertelsen then hit an infield single, followed by a sac bunt by Megan Patterson. Two runners were in scoring position, but there were two outs on the board. Gina Long stepped up and roped a 2-out RBI single scoring Kaywood, giving the Red Storm a 2-1 lead, and eventual final score. Bertelsen sat down all three batters in succession in the bottom of the 9th inning, ending the game. The first out was made by a great running catch by shortstop Rachel Kenney, all the way in the left field foul territory.
After the game I talked with Knoxville assistant softball coach Travis Wilhite. He is the Blue Bullets' ace pitcher, Andrea Wilhite's father. The senior hurler will be playing college softball next year at Mount Mercy. Wilhite talked about the Knoxville softball program, with the resurgent team winning 13 games this season, a big improvement over previous seasons. He also talked about his days growing up in Carthage, and being a member of the 1986 football runners-up. He was a senior during Carthage (and current Illini West) coach Jim Unruh's first season.
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