BATTLE GROUND — The ball was crushed.
That does not happen much when Battle Ground’s Parker Boyd is pitching.
But there it was, the first batter of the game, and the ball was crushed.
Battle Ground shortstop Morgan Stradley was ready.
Stradley dove and stopped the ball from heading to the outfield, then she threw across the infield, from her knees, and got the batter out at first base
It was the first out of the game, but it was big.
“Dang it, I thought,” Boyd said after the smash. “Then I turned around and Morgan dove and had it. ‘Oh, we’re going to be alright.’ Just right then, I knew we were going to win.”
Boyd would end up pitching a one-hitter, Stradley ended up making another diving play and a throw from her knees, and the Tigers won the Class 4A District 4 softball tournament Wednesday afternoon.
Four Tigers each drove in a run in a 4-0 win over Skyview. Boyd struck out 10 batters.
Battle Ground will host Redmond in a bi-district playoff game Friday or Saturday. Skyview will play at Woodinville at 2 p.m. Saturday.
“It’s not difficult or anything,” Stradley said of her highlight plays. “I had to get it there fast so I do what I do.”
There have been games in which there have not been a lot of plays needed by the defense, with Boyd striking out so many batter this season. Stradley knows how to keep herself prepared, though.
“Every single play, I’m expecting the ball,” Stradley said. “I literally tell myself, ‘Ball, ball, ball.’ I want them to hit it to me every single time, so I’m mentally focused the whole game. Staying focused is a big part of the game.”
Stradley got a hit to lead off the bottom of the first, then scored on a hit by Alexis Morrison for a 1-0 lead.
Lately, that’s all Battle Ground has seemed to need.
“I don’t feel that way,” Stradley said. “I’m always hungry for more. I hate one-run games. That’s putting too much pressure on Parker.”
Kylie Smith tripled to open the second inning, then came home on Lorigan Steuben’s sacrifice fly. The Tigers added two more runs in the fifth, with RBIs from Grace Stillman and Brianna Adams.
“You never can settle,” Stradley said of offense.
Boyd, though, was fine with four runs.
“We’re pretty confident at 4-nothing,” she said.
Battle Ground’s victory capped an undefeated campaign against 4A GSHL competition this season. The Tigers went 12-0 in league play, then 2-0 at district.
“It means a ton,” Boyd said.
