The Miners softball squad got the victory Tuesday afternoon on senior day, defeating Cottonwood 16-12.
The game was a back-and-forth thriller, with Cottonwood drawing first blood in the top of the first, and Park City doing their most damage in the third and fifth innings. Park City entered those innings down 7-4 and 10-8, respectively, before rattling off four and six runs, respectively. That bottom of the fifth run really opened things up for the Miners, who tacked on two more runs in the sixth inning, yet only gave up two more in the sixth and seventh innings on defense.
The tide appeared to turn in the Miners favor the longer junior Chloe Pecheux pitched. She kept the Colts offense relatively in-check, earning numerous ground balls which her infield put away with ease. Shots to the outfield proved more difficult for both defenses.
Park City’s home support certainly didn’t hurt either. Fans congregated on the first base line, third base line and behind home plate to support their five graduating seniors in a pregame ceremony. They stayed, with more coming during the two hours-plus long game to support the junior varsity team afterwards, to see their team’s second win of the season. Those seniors are Bella Recesso, Enzley Sillman, Madison Brent, Elspeth Stevenson and Sami Schofield.
The seniors pregame ceremony included players walking out onto the diamond with their loved ones, toting flowers, gift bags and sticks with their faces on them. The face sticks made their way into the crowd during the game, with fans providing all the energy they could.
“Obviously good to be competitive inning-to-inning, I think that’s something we’re capable of,” said Park City first-year head coach Ashley Manusos. “They brought energy today, and I think it is obviously good to go out with a win, especially for the regular season.”
Manusos squad made the postseason with the victory, now the 4A bracket’s 23rd seed. They’ll take on regional foe Tooele Friday and Saturday, with games one and two of the three game, regionals series being held on the road at 4 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively. Park City had last reached the postseason in 2021.
“I told the girls, ‘You prepare for postseason until I tell you differently,'” Manusos said. “The girls would enjoy it. Going to playoffs regardless of whether or not we were very successful last season, I think it’s something they’d enjoy, but ultimately to end like this would be great for them as well.”
Manusos was very complimentary of her outgoing group, and hopes they can join an increased crowd next season for some games.
“We’ll take a hit losing five seniors. I think they’ve played an intricate role in the leadership and embodying the culture we’re trying to set,” Manusos said. “Community support is integral to help our success. Ultimately I think the girls really love the support and they love hearing the fans cheer, especially when things go right. That was super fantastic, and I hope we see that next season.”
Schofield was equally pleased with the win, as well as sad to see this group go their separate ways. She never anticipated getting the win and having such a bittersweet end to the season.
“The last day really brought us together and made us all hyped, it honestly feels really rewarding and amazing,” Schofield said on the win. “It would mean so much (a playoff berth), I definitely don’t want this season to to be over.”
Schofield’s said her favorite memory from the game was a RBI (runs batted in) double she had. She loved to hear the screams of support from her teammates afterwards, getting everyone involved in the action with her strong play.
Schofield’s teammate and catcher Brent had possibly the games’ most peculiar and interesting play, beating out a pickle she found herself in between third base and home. She slid into home base on that one, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
“My pickle! My pickle would be my most favorite thing today, and just getting to walk out with all my friends and take that picture on the mound with my parents,” said Brent, also a hockey player. Of her fellow seniors she said, “I’ve known a lot of them forever, and it’s really great to grow up playing with them. … All of us developing and then sharing those bus rides together and bonding so much more, it’s just great.”
The playoff matchup for the Miners will be a difficult one, having lost both matchups to Tooele by a combined 38-1 this season. If Park City can gut out a win, they’ll potentially play the deciding game three of the series at home, to be decided by a coin flip. A series win would see them face Bear River from Garland in another best of three, super regionals series.
