HIGHLAND — Raven King was as cool as a cucumber while leading the Lone Peak Knights to victory on Thursday afternoon.
Even after walking the first batter of the seventh inning and then, four batters later, watching the go-ahead run single to left field, King was sure her team would pull out the 3-2 win over the Syracuse Titans in the second round of the 5A state tournament.
"I think I probably scared a few people walking that first girl," said King, the game's winning pitcher. "But I was pretty confident we'd come through."
It was a back-and-forth battle through the first three innings of the game. The Titans started off fast when Sylvannah Kelley doubled and then Timmarie Taylor scored her with an infield single. Lauren Gourdin then led off the Knights' half of the second inning with a triple, and Whitney Stevens tied the score with an RBI single to center field.
Syracuse had another opportunity to score in the third inning with runners on second and third with only one out, but that is when King entered the game. She retired eight of the next nine batters, and the only Titan to reach base got there on a Lone Peak error.
"I didn't do anything hitting-wise today," she said of her 0-for-3 performance at the plate. "I knew if I wasn't going to hit (well) today, I had to go help my team out with my pitching."
The Knights took over offensively in fourth inning when Gourdin and Stevens, who were both 2-for-3, led off with back-to-back singles. Syracuse pitcher Ashley Ostler struck out the next two batters and then Allyse Chipman, the ninth batter in the Lone Peak lineup, drove in both runs when she reached base on a Titan fielding error, extending the lead to 3-1.
"Our top of the lineup wasn't doing as good as they usually do," King said. "To have the bottom of the lineup step it up and score all of those runs for us really shows how much of a team we are, and we can really put it together and pull through."
With just one chance remaining, the Titans made up one run after a walk, a Lone Peak fielding error, a sacrifice bunt and then an RBI single by Kelley. King, however, put a stop to the rally, forcing the next batter to pop up right back to the pitcher's circle.
"Amazing!" King said of how she felt catching the fly ball to end the game. "It's incredible to have that feeling. You're just like, 'yes!' "
King and the Knights advance in the winner's bracket to face the Bingham Miners, who beat Viewmont on Thursday. That game will be at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday at the Valley Complex. Syracuse will face off with the Murray Spartans, who eliminated Pleasant Grove on Thursday, in the one-loss bracket. That game will take place on Tuesday at noon at the Valley Complex.
e-mail: sthomas@desnews.com
More preps inside
5A and 3A girls golf, D5
4A and 3A baseball, D6
4A softball, D8
3A softball, D10
Tournament schedules, D10
Scores, D12 and D13More online
Complete recaps of these games can be found at deseretnews.com/sports
Roy 3, Brighton 0
Taylorsville 6, Fremont 4
Bingham 4, Viewmont 0Heady
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