Centennial dedicates softball win to deceased classmates
Early Thursday morning, Centennial’s softball team learned that three classmates had died in California when their car was struck by a suspected drunken driver.
They were Kiana Tate’s friends, and the Bulldogs shortstop couldn’t help but get emotional as she rounded the bases with the game-tying home run.
Centennial rallied from a two-run deficit in the fifth inning and scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the sixth to beat North Torrance (California) 6-5 in the Spring Jamboree at Majestic Park.
“You just have to play for them and put it all on the line,” Tate said.“You have to keep your head on straight, and reality hits in that anything can happen to you at any time.”
Tate’s homer couldn’t have a come at a better time. The tournament plays under a time limit, and the umpire announced the fifth would be the final inning. At that time, the Bulldogs trailed 5-3.
A strange play started the rally, when Centennial’s Deanna Barrera thought she struck out on a 3-1 pitch. Both teams forgot the count (the scoreboards at Majestic Park were not active), and North Torrance threw the ball around the infield. The umpire called delay of game and awarded Ball 4 to Barrera.
Tate was the next batter, and homered to tie the score.
Because the time limit had been reached, the sixth was played under tiebreaker rules with a runner starting the inning on second base. Centennial got through the top of the inning unscathed, then scored after a bunt moved Maddie Kallfelz to third base and a wild pitch ended the game.
“That was a fun game, good game to be at,” Centennial coach Mike Livreri said. “The kids came through and delivered.”
Livreri was happy after the game, but his mood quickly turned somber when his thoughts returned to the day’s news. A teacher at Centennial, he had taught one of the students and knew another.
“It was emotional for us early before that game started this morning to find out that news,” Livreri said. “We just have to take this as your sanctuary for a moment and play ball. It’s OK to cry. It’s OK to cry and feel remorse and put a prayer out there for them.”
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Contact Justin Emerson at jeme
Box score:
Centennial 6, North Torrance (Calif.) 5
