I think the first game (of the playoffs), both teams always have jitters. Both teams had them, but obviously, we were able to capitalize on that. – Clearfield head coach Nicole Tindall
CLEARFIELD — The first home run of Hanna Golder’s softball career couldn’t have come at a better time.
The Clearfield sophomore was the first batter in the bottom of the fifth inning as the Falcons trailed the visiting Mountain Crest Mustangs by a run when she smashed a low pitch over the left center-field fence to tie the game 3-3.
“It was great,” Golder said grinning after Clearfield defeated the Mustangs 4-3 to advance in the 4A state softball playoffs. “I was running around the bases, and at first, I didn’t think it was going over, so I was running as hard as I could. But it kept floating; thank heavens for this wind.”
The afternoon became even more memorable when she scored the winning run on a Mustang throwing error. She said it was the kind of day every young athlete dreams of having.
“For sure,” she said laughing. “We all played really great today.”
The Falcons scored first, but the Mustangs answered with a big third inning in which they scored all three of their runs. Pitcher Bailey Douglas, who earned the win in Tuesday’s first-round game, scored the Falcons’ second run in the bottom of the third when she scored on a Mustang throwing error.
It was an error that led to Golder getting on base in the bottom of the seventh, and another error that allowed her to score from second base.
The Falcons had eight hits and two errors, while the Mustangs finished with three hits and six errors. Clearfield head coach Nicole Tindall said she expected the game to be a bit sloppy.
“I think the first game (of the playoffs), both teams always have jitters,” Tindall said. “Both teams had them, but obviously, we were able to capitalize on that.”
In fact, Tindall and her staff addressed the fact that they’d have to recover from their own errors while taking advantage of their opponent's mistakes if they wanted to win.
“We talked about that yesterday at practice,” Tindall said. “We’re not going to go out and have 20 hits, most likely, because all of these teams are so good. So we’ve got to capitalize on any mistakes. … I thought the girls did a great job with that and playing very heads up.”
Having Golder on second base when the final throwing error occurred was fortuitous.
“Hanna is one of our fastest, and that was ideal,” Tindall said smiling. “She had a great game. To come through with her first home run ever, that was huge to tie the game, to even be in the situation we were. And then to score the winning run, it was a great game for her.”
The Falcons' playoff path doesn’t get any easier as they will travel to Spanish Fork on Thursday to face the second-ranked Dons, a team that boasts one of the most prolific offenses in the state.
Tindall said they will focus on their mental game with just a single day to prepare.
“You try to build confidence and work on the mental game, honestly,” Tindall said of how you prepare for a team none of their staff has seen this season. “The whole season we’ve been preparing for these two weeks, and we try to trust that the preparation up to this point has been good. The coaching staff will get scouting reports on individual players, but for the girls, it’s building on their confidence and having them trust themselves.” And, as sports fan have witnessed all winter, all it takes is one great effort to beat a team, even a better team.
“It’s just whoever shows up and plays better that day,” she said. “It only takes one day and that one game.”
Twitter: adonsports; EMAIL: adonaldson@deseretnews.com