There was a little less pep in the step of Zosha Krupa as she rounded all three bases for the second time Thursday afternoon in the first round of the Region V softball tournament at Melvin Park.
After hitting a home run on the fourth pitch of the game against Thunder Mountain High School — the first of Krupa’s career — the senior slugger hit a second in the third inning. Unlike her first long ball though, the second was hardly consequential as the Wolves trailed by eight runs at that time.
The Falcons, who led 9-1 after two innings, took down the Wolves in five innings by a score of 12-3.
Even though the Falcons beat Sitka in each of the four games they played them this season, TMHS was cautious against taking them too lightly. After all, said TMHS infielder Alondra Echiverri, the Wolves have won games over the other two conference teams.
“We just came out with the mindset that they’re equal to us — we weren’t thinking down on them,” Echiverri said.
TMHS put a hurt on the softball in the first inning with five hits and in the second inning with Rachel Macauley’s two-run home run.
Leading 9-2 in the third inning, Echiverri hit the team’s second home run of the game. The ball soared all the way to the scoreboard in left field before dropping beyond the fence.
“Once we started getting down I play for fun,” Krupa said. “I still take it serious and try to get everyone’s energy back up and just say, ‘We’re not done, we have a chance.’ We’ve been in situations like this before, and we come back and win.”
Kyra Jenkins Hayes threw 55 pitches for TMHS and Megan Dallas tossed 27. Both pitchers allowed three or less hits by the Wolves.
Echiverri said she like playing in tournaments for a change, especially ones with ramifications. Even though the Falcons have already secured a spot in the state tournament with their 9-2 conference record, the team that wins the regional tournament will also get a bid.
“I’m really glad because we can see who really deserves who goes to state,” Echiverri said. “I guess we got in (to the state tournament) because of our conference games but we still want to try to be the region champs.”
If TMHS wins the tournament, the other state tournament bid will go to the second-place team in the tournament.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.
The Thunder Mountain High School infielders meet with pitcher Kyra Jenkins Hayes during the Falcons’ 12-3 win over Sitka in the opening game of the Region V softball tournament at Melvin Park, Thursday, May 26. (Nolin Ainsworth | Juneau Empire)
