John Raffel
Sports Scene
It was a fabulous softball season for Swan Valley, but 33-year veteran coach Tom Kennelly acknowledged that finishing second to Livonia’s Ladywood High School wasn’t quite what his team had in mind.
Swan Valley entered the semifinals at 36-3, where it defeated Coloma. In that win, Swan Valley netted 15 strikeouts from Mackenzie Boehler, who allowed no walks and only two hits.
Heather Pollick homered with a runner on base for Swan Valley in the two-run fourth inning.
But in the Division 2 finals, Ladywood prevailed 4-0.
Lauren Hayes of Ladywood tossed a three-hitter against Swan Valley. Elizabeth Addy, Mary Berden, and Paige Churchfield had the only hits for the Vikings.
“I guess I wish I had a recipe for bringing your ‘A’ game when you really need to bring your ‘A’ game,” said Kennelly. “We hit the ball hard a few times. They made some great defensive plays. That’s a real good team. That’s their No. 2 pitcher, but she made the pitches she had to make; we didn’t move the ball. They moved the ball probably more than anybody has on her all year. I don’t feel we played our ‘A’ game. It’s not from a lack of trying.
“I really thought this time we’d be ready to play very well. It’s a mourning process. We’ve been down there a few times. One of the things they wanted, if you noticed the bands on their arms – that’s Ken’s wife (Ken Bourbina). She died before [the season.] He’s been with me 27 years.”
Hayes outdueled Boehler, who went the distance for Swan Valley and allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks. She struck out three batters.
“Seniors have been here both years,” Kennelly said. “Mackenzie has led us. We were 39-3 last year. We play good competition and good teams. This game, we haven’t played particularly well. There’s good teams all over. I’m not saying we’re better than they are. They have a lot of good players.”
But Kennelly smiled while acknowledging he’ll have a lot of memories.
“I’m going to start getting a complex,” he said. “We can’t seem to finish it. It’s good tradition. A lot of pride in wearing purple. I’ve got a lot of girls who like to play and they’re good softball players. We’ll be back.
“Before the game I told the girls it doesn’t matter, you still have to hit it. We hit it hard and they made some good plays,” Kennelly said. “It is what it is. Winning seems to be contagious at times.”
“Some of it is the competition,” Kennelly said. “They have six Compuware players. Compuware is probably the premier program in Michigan. They’re better than your average team. I have good athletes.”
“They did a good job. Their hits fell in gaps and ours didn’t,” Boehler said. “We were confident. When things started to not go our way, we fell a little bit. It is what it is.”
“We leave the bases loaded again twice, and I’m called for being out of the box for the first time in 33 years. But hey, we’ve played better and lost,” Kennelly noted.
“McKenzie pitched her butt off,” Kennelly said. “The hit they got was off the end of the bat. She pitched really well. That’s the second run she’s given up in the last eight games. Both of them are unearned. She’s done a good job.
“She did a good job with her composure. I think she’s walked 12 all year. She’s been good all year, basically. She’s a competitor. The key is staying calm and playing. You get too worked up and you’re not productive.”
“Everything is clicking and I have a good defense behind me,” Boehler said after the game. “They’re really picking up the ball. My movement has been good. The heat helps me to stay loose.”
McKenzie indicated that she did not mind the heat.
“I just like it,” she said.
Pressure brings out the best in her.
“We’re ready to take it,” she said.