STEVEN SIMPKINS|for the Daily News

Coleman softball coach Chad Klopf gathers his team together for a talk prior to Friday's Division 4 semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford on Friday in East Lansing.

Coleman softball coach Chad Klopf gathers his team together for a talk prior to Friday's Division 4 semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford on Friday in East Lansing.

Coleman's Faith Barden prepares to deliver a pitch against Ottawa Lake Whiteford, while Comets' first-baseman Brianna Townsend (1) and third-baseman Jaden Berthume crash from the corners during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal in East Lansing.

Coleman's Faith Barden prepares to deliver a pitch against Ottawa Lake Whiteford, while Comets' first-baseman Brianna Townsend (1) and third-baseman Jaden Berthume crash from

Coleman pitcher Faith Barden winds up during Friday's Division 4 semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Coleman pitcher Faith Barden winds up during Friday's Division 4 semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Coleman's Autumn Tubbs crosses the plate for the Comets' only run on an RBI single by Brianna Townsend during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Coleman's Autumn Tubbs crosses the plate for the Comets' only run on an RBI single by Brianna Townsend during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford

Coleman second-baseman Kenzie Miller catches a popup during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Coleman second-baseman Kenzie Miller catches a popup during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Coleman's Faith Barden takes a swing during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Coleman's Faith Barden takes a swing during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Coleman's Abigail Tubbs makes a catch in the outfield during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Coleman's Abigail Tubbs makes a catch in the outfield during Friday's Division 4 softball semifinal vs. Ottawa Lake Whiteford in East Lansing.

Comets' softball season finally comes to an end with 6-1 loss to Whiteford in state semifinals

EAST LANSING It wouldve been easy for Coleman softball coach Chad Klopf to view Fridays loss in the Division 4 semifinals as the end of something special. Instead, he sees it as the possible start of something even more special.

Its another step (toward the ultimate goal of a state championship), Klopf said after his Comets fell 6-1 to Ottawa Lake Whiteford at Michigan State University three days after beating Holton 5-0 in the quarterfinal round to reach the final four for the first time since 2005.

Its similar to the way we looked in the quarters in the past, and we got over that hump this year, Klopf added, referring to Colemans losing twice in the quarterfinals in the early 2000s before winning it all in 2005. Hopefully, with the youth we have and the experience we have, we can get back here and try it again.

Just getting to the semifinals was quite a feat, considering the loss of arguably the most talented senior class in program history last year. And Whiteford hard-throwing sophomore pitcher Lindsey Walker and power-hitting senior centerfielder Erin Manley made sure the Comets went no farther this time around.

Walker threw a complete-game three-hitter with one walk and nine strikeouts to get the win and never allowed Coleman to get into a groove at the plate. Meanwhile, Manley crushed a pair of long home runs, neither of which left any doubt that they were leaving the yard.

Shes been phenomenal for a sophomore, Bobcats coach Kris Hubbard said of Walker. Last year, she threw hard and threw a change(up), but this year shes a (diversified) pitcher. She loves softball, and she works hard at it and spends a lot of time at it, and she has good composure for a sophomore.

Coleman senior catcher Liz Dana, the Comets leadoff hitter, was shocked to learn that the tall, strong Walker is only a 10th-grader.

Oh, god, shes only a sophomore? I would not have thought that, Dana noted. ... She had a lot of good pitches. She was a little quicker than (the) Holton (pitcher we faced on Tuesday), so I guess we werent really prepared for that. We just couldnt get around with our bats and hit off of her.

It didnt take long for her teammates to spot Walker a lead she would not relinquish three batters, to be exact.

After Karsyn Berns-Moore led off the game with a triple to the right-centerfield gap and Baylee Baldwin reached on a fielders choice, Manley blasted a monstrous three-run shot well over the rightfield fence for a 3-0 lead. The Comets answered with their only run of the game in the bottom of the second when Autumn Tubbs tripled to the right-center fence and Brianna Townsend drove her in with an infield single to cut it to 3-1.

But Walker responded by retiring 14 of the next 15 hitters she faced, and Coleman didnt get another runner into scoring position until the seventh inning. By that time, Whiteford had added a sizzling line-drive homer to rightfield by Manley in the fifth inning and a two-run single by Walker in the top of the seventh to make it 6-1.

Im so proud of this team for getting this far, for getting a step further (than last year), said Dana, Colemans lone senior. And next year (our returners) have something to shoot for still, but Im proud to be part of a team that got this far. ... The family aspect (is what Ill miss most). We goof around, and we all love each other so much, and its just a blessing to be on this team.

Although the Comets entered this season with only three returners with significant varsity experience, both Dana and Klopf said that getting all of the way to the semifinals was not particularly surprising to them.

We knew we could get here. Some of the girls are in travel ball, so they work all summer, and some them work all winter, Dana said. We knew we had the talent and the work ethic to get past the quarterfinals.

Klopf agreed.

We knew what we had in (returning pitchers/infielders) Faith (Barden) and Jaden (Berthume), and we knew Liz (Dana) would be a good leader. ... And defensively, with Makailyn Monson in centerfield, the pitchers feel pretty comfortable that they can throw whatever they want, and ... as the season has gone on, our infield has gotten stronger and stronger. Last year was more of an offensive team, and this year is more of a defensive team and pitching team.

Barden took the loss, going 6 1/3 innings and allowing five runs on six hits and four walks.

Manley was 2-for-2 with a walk and a sacrifice bunt to go with her two homers, four runs batted in, and three runs scored for Whiteford, while Berns-Moore had two hits and scored twice, and Walker walked twice to go with her two-run single.

For Coleman, Tubbs was 2-for-2 with a walk.

While the Bobcats (33-6) advance to face Indian River Inland Lakes a 9-0 winner over Kalamazoo Christian on Friday in Saturdays championship game, Coleman ends at 35-7.

Klopf said some of his players werent thrilled to receive consolation medals afterward until he put things into proper perspective.

We gave them their final four medals, and some of them were like, Oh, participation trophies, he said. But we explained to them that there are only four (teams that earn semifinalist medals) in our division and 16 total (across all divisions), and there a lot of teams that would want to be here.

Klopf added that things look very bright indeed for the Comets next season.

Its going to be tough to fit (new) people in. Were going to have to figure it out, because weve got a couple of freshmen who started the whole year for us, and all of our sophomores have done a wonderful job ... and Kalie Weidman and Autumn (Tubbs) are both juniors who have come up and shined throughout the tournament, he noted. Its going to be a tough lineup to crack. Well have to find the right person to fit behind the plate (and replace Dana as catcher), and then well see what we can do.

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Comets' softball season finally comes to an end with 6-1 loss to Whiteford in state semifinals - Midland Daily News