MANCHESTER聽鈥 Some nicknames are better than others. Lafayette junior catcher Sydney Berger likes one that fits her best: Sydney Bombs.
Berger lived up that billing by delivering a first-inning three-run bomb that helped send the Lafayette Lancers to an 8-2 victory over the Parkway South Patriots in the Class 5 District 2 softball championship game.
Despite being the host, the Patriots were the visiting team in the game.
Berger said some of her other nicknames are "Sydney Squared," "Sydney B" and "Sydney Bombs."
"There's a lot of things I get called," Berger said laughing. "I think Sydney Bombs is more appropriate. I like that."
Lafayette coach Hope Swaney does too.
"I enjoy calling her 'Sydney Bombs' when she does that," Swaney said. "She's just such a hard-working kid. She's ready to go for the team."
Senior pitcher Abby Carr struck out 17 while giving up an uncharacteristic two earned runs on four hits in pitching seven strong innings. Carr entered the game allowing just four earned runs this season in her previous 23 appearances.
"She's so kind. She's so humble. She's so caring," Swaney said about Carr. "That kid is our horse. She's going to carry us the rest of the way. She's out there for every single person."
Parkway South senior Sherry Madison took the loss. She pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on four hits.
Upcoming quarterfinals
The Lancers (27-5) will host Jackson in the Class 5 quarterfinal round Saturday.
"We're ready to go," Swaney said.
Jackson defeated Oakville 3-2 in 10 innings Monday afternoon to improve to 28-8.
On Oct. 12, Lafayette scored a 9-8 victory against Jackson.
District drought ends
The district championship was the first for Lafayette since 2007 when there just four classes for softball.
The Lancers went on to win their 14th state championship that fall with a 1-0 win over Oakville at the Rainbow Softball Complex in Columbia.
Swaney would like to see that happen again.
"It's been quite a long time," Swaney said. "We were ready to dust off the cobwebs and bring a championship home. That was the last time Lafayette won a state.
"I think that's all a good omen. Our team is unselfish. Our team is supportive. Our team believes."
The Lancers were excited to be district kingpins. There were many photographs taken after the game to commemorate the big win.
"All of our hard work has paid off," Carr said.
"It's crazy it's taken so long," Berger said. "It feels awesome to win it. It's no surprise. Our group is awesome."
Big first inning
"We like to score in the first inning," Swaney said. "I think our team is relentless in the first inning."
Indeed.
Leadoff batter Carr was hit by a pitch.
"My goal there was not to give my first at-bat away and to set the tone early," Carr said. "We wanted to get off to a good start. It didn't hurt."
Riley Mulligan laid down a bunt, but there was an error on the play.
Berger came to the plate. She knocked a 1-1 offering over the fence in center field.
"I was looking for an inside pitch so I could turn on it and drive it," Berger said. "My timing had been a little off. I got what I wanted. I was a little unsure when I hit it but I looked up and saw it was gone.
As she rounded third, Swaney spoke to her.
"She said, 'I love you,' " Berger said. "She was happy. I was happy."
It was Berger's seventh home run this season.
Carr was not surprised Berger stepped up and thrived in the spotlight.
"She's clutch," Carr said. "That made me feel good and took some pressure off me to be able to go out and pitch with that lead. It takes a lot of weight off my shoulders. My team has been able to put up a lot of runs this season."
The Lancers were not through. Addison Long singled. With one out, senior Addison Penn drew a walk. Elizabeth Meier singled home Long. Senior Josey Alspaw bunted back to Madison, who threw home. Penn slid headfirst into home plate, beating the throw, giving Lafayette a 5-0 lead.
"That's tough to come back from," Parkway South coach Dave McFarland said. "They do a lot of things well. We fell behind quick but we kept battling."
The other Sidney
With two outs in the second inning, sophomore Sidney Vogt drilled a pitch over the fence in left center to chase Madison and bring in junior Ava Moretti.
"I was just hoping to hit the hard somewhere and I did that," Vogt said. "I'm quite happy. It was a middle inside pitch. It didn't feel great coming off the bat but when I looked up, it was gone.
"It was fantastic to circle the bases."
Swaney knew she would come through at some point.
"All season long, she's been hitting fence, hitting the fence," Swaney said. "I told our assistant coach (Ryan) O'Connell she's going to get one this season. He said, 'I don't know. Sophomore year. I don't know.'
"We told her to do some squats. When she was rounding third I said it's the squats and she said back, 'I did a few.' "
Vogt was not done. In the sixth, she hit a two-out single to right field, scoring Berger and Long.
"I got an inside-middle pitch, and I was able to do my job," Vogt said.
McFarland did not fault Madison.
"It happens," McFarland said. "Sometimes when things don't go your way, you try and do a little too much and it doesn't work."
Carr dominant
Carr, who has committed to pitch at Missouri, hiked her season record to 20-0. It was her 10th complete game of the season.
In 24 appearances, she has made 18 starts. In 111 innings, Carr has given up six earned runs and 43 hits.
"I'm glad I was able to pitch through giving up two runs," Carr said.
Carr and Berger have been a pitcher-catcher tandem since junior high.
"I love pitching to her," Carr said. "She screams. She gets excited."
Berger believes in Carr.
"She did great today," Berger said. "She went after everybody. She really held it down. She got it down. We have a really good connection."
Patriots battle
Parkway South put up two runs against Carr in the third inning.
Sophomore Brookley Ware, who had two hits in three at-bats, doubled to lead off the third. She scored on a single by sophomore Carrie Naegel. Senior Isabella Haston followed with a run-scoring double.
"She wasn't feeling her best," McFarland said about Ware. "She comes out here and gives it her all. When she's out there, there's an opportunity for something to happen."
Carr didn't make any excuses.
"I had too much going in my head right there," Carr said. "I was trying to be perfect and that just doesn't work in a game. I trust what I can do and that鈥檚 what I did."
After that outburst, Carr struck out the next six consecutive hitters to take the wind out of the Patriots' proverbial sails and dampen any comeback notions.
"Lafayette has a great pitcher in the circle," McFarland said.
The Patriots finished the season with a 17-12 record.
"Our girls came out and gave it their all," McFarland said. "We did the best we could. Some things didn't go our way out there. That's a darn good Lafayette team. We never quit. Our girls can hold their head high."
Swaney agreed.
"We knew Parkway South would come here and be ready to go," Swaney said. "It was a great game. They grinded every at-bat. They came ready to swing. I think both teams did a great job."
Class 5 District 2 softball final: Lafayette 8, Parkway South 2
鈥淪he is somebody that from the beginning to the end of the season has just improved tremendously,鈥 Oakville coach Rich Sturm said.
Lafayette teammates swarm over Sydney Berger (8) as she steps on home plate after hitting a three-run homer. Lafayette defeated Parkway South in the District 5 Class 2 softball championship at Parkway South High School in Manchester on Monday October 21, 2024. Photo by Tim Vizer