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Ray’s Savannah Willis shows good hitting form against the Panthers. Andrew Luberda | Copper Basin News
Ray’s Stormee Galka throws a pitch in Friday’s game versus Superior. Andrew Luberda | Copper Basin News
Copper Basin News
One week after defeating two-time state champion and fourth-ranked San Manuel, junior pitcher Ivie Lopez and her Superior teammates knocked off the top-ranked Ray last Friday, 6 – 2. The loss was the Lady Cats’ first in sectional play and ended their ten-game winning streak. The win was the sixth-ranked Lady Panthers’ fourth-straight.
Lopez held a Lady Cats’ team, which entered the game hitting .421 as a team and averaging almost 10 runs per game, to only one earned run on just six hits. She struck out 10 while allowing one walk. She was dominant.
“We didn’t have offense today,” Lady Cats’ head coach Rikki Galka said after the game. “Ivie pitched well today. She had a good game.”
Ray starting pitcher Stormee Galka we equally effective against a potent Superior lineup, holding them to only two runs during the during the game’s first five innings. Galka helped herself on the mound, turning a couple of double-plays to get out of jams.
Superior junior Gabby Salcido went deep in the sixth, giving the Lady Panthers’ a 3 – 1 lead before the flood gates opened with three Ray errors leading to three more runs.
The Lady Cats’ lone weakness this season has been its defense and it showed up again during Friday’s game. Rikki Galka attributes some of the difficulties to the youth on her team but acknowledges the normally high-scoring offense has been able to overcome the poor defensive play.
“We really haven’t had to face coming from behind,” she said. “We’ve been lucky (in that regard).”
Against teams like Superior and San Manuel, both state title contenders along with the Lady Cats, the defense behind Stormee Galka has to improve if Ray is to win the State Championship.
“We have to work hard at practice,” Stormee Galka told the Copper Basin News. “You can tell we don’t work hard at practice because we have that many errors.”
Rikki Galka was asked if she was confident there was enough time to see her team’s defense improve before the state playoffs begin later this week.
“Yes,” she responded confidently and without hesitation.
Five of the nine teams in Section VI are ranked in the top 15, according to the AIA rankings. So the Lady Cats are battle tested after having played in the toughest section in the state, regardless of division.
Can they parlay their regular season success into a state championship?
Only time will tell, but an improved defense would make the challenge a little easier.
Check the AIA website (www.azpreps365.com) for playoff matchups, times, and locations, which will be released later this week.
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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