Carbon Softball’s Season Ends in Walk-Off

Carbon’s Brooke Moosman delivers a pitch during a state playoff game on Friday May 18, 2018.
Carbon softball were eliminated from the 3A State Playoffs on Friday night by losing to the Manti Templars 11-10 in Spanish Fork.
Earlier in the day the Dinos lost to the Union Cougars 7-4 in the quarterfinals which moved them to the loser’s side of the bracket.
They followed their loss to Union with a 9-4 victory over the Grand County Red Devils in an elimination game.
In their final game of the day against Manti, the Dinos were one out away to clinching a spot in the semifinals on Saturday morning.
With the score 8-8 in the top of the seventh, Lyndsey Madrigal hit an RBI single that brought home tor runs to help put the Dinos up 10-8.
Carbon opened the bottom of the seventh with a ground out, a single, and a strikeout by Brooke Moosman.
The Templars wouldn’t give up even with two outs and on the brink of elimination. 
A double, a single and then a walk-off RBI double by Manti would eliminate the Dinos and bring their 2018 season to a close.
“It was an up and down day, we were playing ball for about 10 hours straight so that made for a long day but the girls did whatever we asked, they brought it today,” said Carbon Head Coach Wade Williams. “Unfortunately we didn’t finish that last one the we wanted to.”
In the loss, junior Dekota Kraushaar led the Dinos at the plate with two hits including a three-run home run  in the first inning.
Carbon’s 2018 season didn’t end the way they wanted it on Friday night but it was a positive step in the right direction for the program going forward.
“It was a good day for Carbon softball, we competed well and I am so proud of the girls. I am proud of what we accomplished this season and there were a lot of people doubting us but we proved them wrong today,” said Carbon junior catcher Kaytlyn Cripps.
The Dinos will lose four key seniors who helped this year’s team be a win away from a Region 14 title and finish with an overall record of 22-7.
“We lost a lot of talent, we lost two great middle infielders in Kelsey (Sorenson) and McKenna (Pendergrass). We lost Cali (Fossat) and Jordan (West), who are great corners,” said Cripps.
The future is bright for Carbon according to Williams and Cripps. They both expect to be back in the thick of things for a state title with young but talented players returning to the team who got a lot of experience in 2018.
One of those returning players will be Moosman, who helped lead the Dinos during their playoff run as a freshman.
When the other pitchers were tired, Moosman took on the challenge from her coach to pitch the whole game against Manti.
“She pitched one heck of a game and she is one of our better hitters. She is a good ball player, the future is bright,” said Williams.
Also returning to pitch for the Dinos will be Cripps and Kraushaar. Those two will be pitching to Madrigal, who got a lot of time as a catcher in the postseason.
The Dinos will also have outfielders Kennedy Nelson and Clarissa Noyes returning next season. Each of them started every game of the postseason for the Dinos.
With eight returning starters back next season, look for the Dinos to be one of the early favorites for the 2019 3A State title.