The Trojan softball team has dominated the past two weeks as they have taken on 5 teams to end of their regular season. On Friday, April 14th, the team took on the Globe Tigers at home. The girls started off with a bang by putting up seven runs in the first two innings. Senior Victoria Clark went two for three at the plate and ended up driving in a total of four runs. Junior Bree Hanzal killed it at the mound as she only gave up three hits and one run, with seven strikeouts. After a few short innings the game ended 13-1.
Then on Monday, April 17th, the girls faced the San Tan Foothills Sabercats. Hanzal was the star of the show as she had a single in the first inning, a single and a double in the second, and even hit a homerun in the third. The Trojans went up 12 runs by the second inning with the help of Libby Juist, Kat Hanson, Victoria Clark, Addi Ballantyne, and Bree Hanzal. Also, Hanzal started the game pitching and struck out eight batters. Then junior Kat Hanson came in a pitched the last inning, giving up two runs and striking out two batters. The game ended after the fourth inning with a score of 22-4.
That same week on Wednesday the 19th, the softball team faced the Benjamin Franklin Chargers and came out on top with a score of 16-1. Junior Caymen Ferber went crazy at the plate as she hit two home runs driving in a total of six runs. Bree Hanzal pitched yet again and only allowed one hit and one run, while striking out eight batters. Hanzal also hit another homerun in the third inning. By the end of the game the girls drove in 16 runs, mainly led by Victoria Clark who went four for four, Bree Hanzal, Addi Ballantyne, Caymen Ferber, and Rylan Ernst.
The next day on April 20th, the Trojans competed across town against the Gilbert Christian Knights. Not a single hit was given up with a joint effort from both the pitchers. Kat Hanson ended the last inning with zero hits and zero runs earned and three strikeouts, with the last one ending the game. The Trojans had eight hits throughout the game and drove in a total of 21 runs led by both Bree Hanzal and Victoria Clark.?
Most recently, on Monday April 24th, the Trojans faced the Coolidge Bears in a 7-inning battle for the Region Championship. The Trojans were up early in the game when junior Kat Hanson started the game off strong with her 6th home run of the year! The Trojans followed that up by scoring 3 more runs in the 1st inning.?
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Bree Hanzal led the Trojans on the mound and pitched a solid three innings. The Trojans ran into some trouble in the 4th when the Coolidge Bears came back and scored 4 runs, making it a one run ballgame for the Region title! Hanzal came up with a big hit in the 7th and scored with Hanson on base, giving the Trojans a two-run lead. Kat Hanson took over on the mound and shut down the Bears to give the Trojans the win and their 1st Region Championship in almost 10 years. If it had not been for the tremendous defense by the Trojans led by Abbey Mello and Victoria Clark, it would have been a much tighter battle between the two teams. With only two seniors on the team this year they really took this win to heart, Senior Abbey Mello said "I am very excited to earn this title and I am very proud of my team and all the work we put in to get here. We all worked together, and the game was truly a team effort. Everyone backed each other up and supported each other throughout the entire game."?
The Trojans are now entering post season play and are playing in their first round of playoffs on Tuesday, May 2nd. Come out and support your Valley Christian Trojans in their playoff run!
