Late-game decision leaves Beaver softball wondering 'what if' as season comes to end

LORETTO ― As it played out in front of her own two eyes, all Beaver Area's Payton List could do was stand and watch in disbelief.

After 42 straight victories, the Bobcats had finally been defeated, falling 2-1 in the PIAA Class 4A semifinals to District 9's Clearfield Area in the final at-bat of the game at Saint Francis University. The contest was decided in a moment that you see every now and then in movies: Bottom of the seventh. Two outs. Bases loaded. A trip to the championship game on the line.

Clearfield Area's Ruby Singleton was the one who will be remembered as the hero, driving in the winning run.

The sophomore connected with List's 1-1 pitch just enough to create a hard play for Beaver Area second basemen Taylor Young ― who bobbled the ball and failed to recover in time to beat Clearfield Area's Emma Hipps to the second base bag for the final out of the frame, thus allowing the game-winning run to score.

However, as the years go by, the image of Clearfield Area's Alexis Benton crossing home plate won't be the one List and her teammates will have painfully burned into their minds when they look back at their heart-breaking loss on Monday afternoon. Instead, it will be what took place the at-bat prior.

With runners on the corners and two outs, Beaver Area head coach Amy Haggart was forced to make one of the toughest choices of her career. Hipps, a Clarion commit who boasted a .466 batting average and eight home runs entering the contest, was up to bat and could end the Bobcats' season with just one swing.

The Bison star had struggled throughout the entire contest, going 0-for-3 against List in her first three trips to the plate. But, with much more on the line and a free base available, it was time to consider all options. A timeout was called, and during the mound visit, Haggart asked her star pitcher what she wanted to do.

"I had full confidence in my team," List said. "I knew between myself and the fielders behind me, we were going to make the play needed to get her out. I wanted to pitch to her."

Haggart received her answer. As the mound visit concluded, the decision was made: It would be List versus Hipps, star versus star. One pitch later, though, that decision changed.

A fastball that was called for a ball inside to start that at-bat was all Haggart needed to take the decision making into her own hands. The 2021 Times Softball Coach of the Year decided that the lesser risk was to go after Singleton ― who was 1-for-3 on the day ― with every base as a force out, rather than let List continue to battle against Hipps, who was ahead in the count.

"Having two outs, not knowing where they're going to hit the ball, and knowing (Hipps') history ― I mean we did our research on her (and Payton) held her down, but you never know," Haggart said. "One pitch could've opened that up. Giving us a chance to have any base available for a force out was the reason why we did it.

"We said one pitch was what we were going to give her and see what happens."

When Haggart reversed course, List's confusion from the circle was visible. The Virginia Tech commit turned toward her team's dugout with her palms to the sky and a puzzled look on her face.

"Just trust us," Haggart could be heard saying to her pitcher as Singleton dug into the batter's box. Little did she know, those would be the final two words of coaching she'd give List in her high school career.

While Clearfield celebrated their berth to a state final on the first-base line, List stood in the middle of the circle in a state of shock. The streak, the season and her career were over, and it ended, in her opinion, facing the wrong batter at the plate.

"I feel like the walk influenced the game," a frustrated List said after the loss. "(Hipps) wasn't hitting me. I just don't understand why I couldn't have gone at her and ended the inning right then and there."

The relationship between List and Haggart has been one four years in the making. As a freshman, List joined the Bobcats in just Haggart's second year at the helm. Together, the two helped lead the program to heights it had never seen before ― 42 straight wins, back-to-back WPIAL titles, a state championship and a MaxPreps top-10 national ranking.

That type of success comes with a strong degree of trust on both ends of the player-coach dynamic, which is what makes moments like the one in the bottom of the seventh inning that much more complicated.

"That's one of the hardest decisions to make as a coach," Haggart said. "You make it and you're the hero, or you make it and you're not. In this case, we just didn't make that play to get that last out."

Haggart was asked after the game if she believed her choice to walk Hipps directly influenced the final outcome, to which she responded: "I don't. I think we needed to do a better job at the plate. Sometimes, in situations like this, against teams like this, one run isn't enough."

As her team made its way off the field and out of the dugout for the final time of the 2022 season, Haggart could be seen comforting each player on her roster. From key seniors like Hanna Crowe, whose high school careers were done, to breakout star freshmen like Young and Sami Springman, that will be top contributors for the Bobcats in years to come, each member of the team received a heartfelt message.

The final player Haggart spoke to before she made her way to speak to reporters was List. The senior, who had started an interview but stopped due to being overcome with emotion, was met along the third-base line fence by her head coach.

"You're going to be OK," Haggart told her star. "You have nothing to be ashamed of."

And while the sting of defeat was still fresh, List was able to gather herself and take her coach's words to heart.

"We went the whole year without losing," List reflected. "In that moment, you look at it and think, 'Ah, shoot,' but you can't really be too mad. We did what we could do."

Contact Noah Hiles at nhiles@gannett.com. Follow him on twitter @_NoahHiles.

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Late-game decision leaves Beaver softball wondering 'what if'