ST. GEORGE — The Enterprise Lady Wolves captured the 2A state softball title on Saturday with a 6-5 victory over the Gunnison Valley Lady Bulldogs.
“Our girls show great resilience today,” said Enterprise head coach Katye Jones, who noted that the team’s season has been dedicated to the memory of former Wolves coach Duane Wallin, who died last September.
Adopting the motto “Winning for Wallin,” the Lady Wolves went 25-5 on the season, including going undefeated in five games over the three-day, double-elimination state tournament, which was played at the Canyons Softball Complex in St. George.
Enterprise cruised to shutout victories on Thursday, beating Rockwell 21-0 and Altamont 11-0. Then, on Friday, the Lady Wolves defeated Parowan 14-3, followed by a 5-2 semifinal win over Beaver.
Beaver and Gunnison then battled in the one-loss bracket Saturday morning, with Gunnison prevailing 11-10 and earning the right to play Enterprise for the championship.
The same two teams had faced each other for the 2A title last year, with Gunnison winning 12-2. This time around, the deciding game was much closer, and it was the Wolves’ turn to shine.
Saturday, Gunnison scored the championship game’s first run in the top of the second inning, but the Lady Wolves answered back with three runs in the bottom of the second.
Gunnison then fought back by scoring one run in each of the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game 3-3.
“I told the girls it was a new ball game and we have to do the little things to win the game,” Jones said. “They did just that with two bunt singles in the bottom of the inning to help us put up three more runs.”
Gunnison wasn’t finished, however, as the Lady Bulldogs managed to score two more in the top of the seventh and advance the potentially tying runner to third base.
“A great pick-off play at first from our catcher Jessica Chamber got the second out and a ground ball to Dykell Jones at second base ended the game,” Jones noted.
Kangie Bundy, who pitched the first six innings for Enterprise, earned the victory. She allowed three runs on nine hits while striking out three and walking zero. Allie Laub pitched the final inning in relief. Offensively, the Lady Wolves tallied 11 total hits, led by Timorie Phelps, who went 3-for-4 from the plate.
Immediately after winning the softball title early Saturday afternoon, many of Enterprise’s softball players, along with their families and other fans, headed across town to watch the Enterprise boys play for the state 2A baseball title at Dixie State University. However, Enterprise’s hopes for a dual championship fell short as the Wolves lost back-to-back games to Milford and had to settle for the runner-up baseball trophy.
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