Havasu takes third in Kingman

KINGMAN — All it took was two rough innings to move the Lady Knights out of contention.

The Lake Havasu High School softball team dropped its final two games — to host Kingman 11-0 and Las Vegas Durango 8-0 — to finish in third place in the Kingman Pepsi Softball Classic, Saturday.

“We just ran out of gas a little bit,” Knights coach Kari Thompson said. “We got a little deflated and let it get to us.”

Day two of the tournament started the same as day one, with Havasu (12-4) winning. The Lady Knights defeating Durango 3-1, behind the hitting of outfielder Jaycie D’uva. D’uva laced a double to right center that scored Andrea Howerton in the second inning, giving Havasu a lead they never relinquished.

“I haven’t been hitting well this season so it felt good to get that hit,” D’uva said. “It helped boost my confidence and more importantly it helped my team.”

D’uva added another single in the fourth and scored on a Lindsay Drayer single.

Miranda Shoemaker was on the hill and looked strong in the opener, giving up one run on two hits and one walk. She also had six strikeouts.

The win put Havasu against Kingman (6-11) for control of the winners bracket and again Shoemaker took the mound. The Knights were behind by just one run when the wheels fell off in the third inning. Five of the first six Lady Bulldogs batters reached base before Howerton came in to relieve Shoemaker. The pitching switch didn’t stop the blood letting as three more Kingman batters reached before the final out.

All told, Kingman put up seven runs in the third inning and added another three in the fourth before Erica Dunn came in to close out the inning as Kingman took the 11-0 win.

That dropped Havasu to the loser’s bracket to once again face Durango (7-5). Howerton started and looked good through two innings, limiting the Blazers to just two runs. Once again, the third inning proved to be the Knights undoing. Six of the first seven Durango batters reached, tallying six runs to cement the win and advance to the championship game against Kingman.

Dunn again pitched a scoreless fourth inning in relief.

“If you take out those two innings, we’re playing great ballgames,” Thompson said. “It comes down to focus. When we’re tired we have to push through.”

Thompson said even with the losses she was happy with the experience, saying Howerton showed she’s solid at the No. 2 spot in the rotation and Dunn continues to excel in relief.

Thompson also praised the effort of Megan Smith, who moved from third base to catcher in game two Saturday. Smith reached base every time at bat Friday and was 3-for-6 Saturday. She was hit by a pitch once and almost had an inside-the-park home run but was cut down at the plate in the Kingman game.

The Lady Knights resume play with a home non-conference game against Kingman, Tuesday, and open conference play with a home doubleheader Friday against Millennium.

You may contact the reporter at dbell@havasunews.com.