When Palo Verde’s softball team was down Wednesday against visiting Arbor View, the Panthers knew they weren’t out. Ava Koenig made sure of it.
Doing her part in the batter’s box and the pitcher’s circle, the senior helped Palo Verde rally to a 6-3 win at Majestic Park. The victory earned the Panthers (17-1, 17-1 5A Southern League) the No. 1 seed in the Class 5A Southern League playoffs, which start Monday.
Koenig fired five hitless innings in relief, striking out nine. She also sparked Palo Verde’s comeback, starting a five-run rally in the fourth inning with a solo home run.
“I knew we’d never give up,” Koenig said. “Off the bat, I didn’t know if it was gone, but it felt really good. I didn’t process it until after, but I just wanted to help my team out.”
Koenig, who has committed to Boston University, started the game as the designated player but was pressed into action in the circle after Arbor View (23-7, 16-2) jumped to a 3-0 lead in the third inning. She relieved senior starting pitcher Haley Kearnes and silenced the powerful Aggies bats.
The turning point came in the fourth with Koenig’s leadoff homer over the center-field wall. After sophomore second baseman Ava Cruz struck out, the rally was on. The next four batters got on base and scored.
“They always battle, no matter what the score is,” Panthers coach Angel Council said. “They always want to be that top dog, that top seed. They never put their heads down, even when they are down.”
Senior shortstop Taylor Johns put Palo Verde up 4-3 with a loud two-run double to center field. Junior third baseman Kayleen Enriquez added another run that inning with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring sophomore right fielder Keileanna Johnson.
From that point, Koenig kept Arbor View at bay, not allowing a ball out of the infield. Johnson gave her pitcher some insurance in the sixth, hitting a homer over the wall in left-center to give the Panthers a 6-3 lead.
To put an exclamation point on the win, Koenig struck out the side in the seventh. Johns finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs.
The Aggies looked unflappable early, leading 2-0 in the first inning. Junior pitcher Ava Henderson lined a double to right, scoring junior right fielder Malaya Tellis. After shortstop Madilyn Lowy reached on an error, second baseman Lilly Easton came home. Tellis and Easton both finished 2-for-4.
Arbor View added to its lead in the third, on designated player Audrey Melton’s home run to center, prompting Council to bring Koenig in to pitch.
