FPD softball earns another Elite Eight trip

It took a day and a game longer than they expected, but the FPD Vikings advanced to the GHSA Class 1A private Elite Eight for the fifth straight season with a convincing 6-0 over Holy Innocents on Thursday afternoon.

FPD put two runs on the scoreboard in the first inning on a long home run from Allie Parkerson, and that ended up being enough for pitcher Karsen Ochs, who pitched a brilliant game, allowing only one hit while striking out six.

The Vikings join Stratford and Tattnall Square in the Elite Eight, a three-day, double-elimination event that starts Thursday in Columbus.

Three who mattered

Parkerson: The senior catcher gave the Vikings an early lead with her 15th home run of the season and added a single and a double while scoring twice. Parkerson also gunned down a baserunner in the fourth inning.

Ochs: The sophomore was the hard-luck loser in the first game of the series but dominated from the start Thursday. The only threat against her was in the top of the fifth inning when Holy Innocents had two runners on with one out, but Ochs struck out the next two batters to escape trouble. She ended the game by retiring the final eight hitters.

Emily Rutledge: Rutledge singled in the first inning and scored on Parkerson’s home run, and then knocked in another run with a double in the sixth inning to ice the game for FPD.

Observations

Defense, pitching and the long ball: FPD was nearly flawless on defense, making only one error, and Ochs cruised from the start on the mound. Parkerson’s towering home run gave FPD the spark it needed in the elimination game.

Strong in defeat: Holy Innocents had a great pitching performance by Branan Cobb, who pitched a complete-game victory in Game 1 before leaving early in the Game 2 loss. After giving up the home run to Parkerson, Cobb settled down and gave up only six hits. But four errors did her team in.

They said it

FPD head coach Kristy Alvarez, when asked if the loss on Wednesday woke her team up: “I don’t think it really was a wake-up call, but it did make us realize that any team at this level can beat you. I was proud of the girls the way they handled the adversity of losing the first game, and I would say that we were a confident team coming into the final game.”

Alvarez on Ochs’ pitching performance: “She has been really good for us all year, but when we are able to give her a lead she has been even better. It is what we expect from both of our pitchers.”

Ochs on the early run support: “It is always great to have a lead, but I have confidence in this team that we will score runs. I had great defense from the start, and I felt like I was in a good groove for the entire game.”

Parkerson on the importance of advancing to the final eight: “I mean, as a senior it is a little more important than other years, and we knew what we had to do (Thursday). We have been to Columbus the last four years, but we haven’t won it before. We just need to play our best softball of the year next week.”

What’s next?

FPD (28-6) opens Elite Eight play at 8 p.m. on Thursday against Eagle’s Landing Christian. Stratford and Tattnall face each other at 4 p.m., with Mount Pisgah-Wesleyan (2 p.m.) and Christian Heritage-Athens Christian (6 p.m.) rounding out the Class 1A private field.

This story was originally published October 20, 2016 at 8:17 PM with the headline "FPD softball earns another Elite Eight trip."