Emily Robinson led Lee’s Summit to its second consecutive state title by pitching 18 consecutive shutout innings and hitting four homers in three playoff games. Photo by Dan Smith.
Lee’s Summit, Mo., softball pitcher Emily Robinson obviously didn’t win the state all by herself, but she made sure nobody else could.
Robinson threw 18 consecutive playoff shutout innings, culminating with a two-hitter in a 5-0 defeat of Holt (Wentzville) Saturday for the Missouri Class 4 title. Robinson also hit a two-run homer in the first inning to provide all the runs that the Tigers would need.
Robinson had four homers in the Tigers’ final three games, including two in a a 13-0 defeat of Liberty North (Liberty) on Oct. 18, and a two-run homer and two-run double in a 7-0 defeat of Jefferson City in Friday’s semifinal.
“Her strength is the movement on her pitches and her specialty is getting the ground ball out,” Lee’s Summit coach Tracy Bertoncin said. “This season, between her, the second baseman and the shortstop, we had 150 assists on the field.”
The Central Missouri commit was also on the mound as a junior in Lee’s Summit’s state championship win last season.
“I would say she is an intense competitor,” Bertoncin said. “There will be people who see her play and say she looks like she’s angry. You have to understand, that’s her poker face. She’s absolutely hilarious. She loves the off-the-wall things, But, when it comes it to playing ball, there is no messing around. She studies her opponent. Her goal is to get a hitter out, period. Sometimes other pitchers get so wrapped up in strikeouts, that they lose the value of one- or two-pitch out.”
Off the mound, Robinson had a .776 slugging percentage with nine homers and a team-leading 32 RBI.
Robinson’s efforts lead our American Family Insurance ALL-USA Performances of the Week. The rest of the top performances:
Patrick Briningstool, quarterback, Chippewa Valley, Clinton Township, Mich.
Junior completed all 10 of his passes for 284 yards and six touchdowns in a 42-6 defeat of New Baltimore Anchor Bay (Fair Haven) on Friday.
Hunter Hill, running back, Big Spring, Texas
Senior rushed for 301 yards and six touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass in a 64-57 defeat of Stephenville on Friday.
Makena Morley, cross country, Bigfork, Mont.
Senior, who has committed to Montana, won her fourth Class B state title and set an all-class state record with a time of 16 minutes, 33.20 seconds in a 3-mile race at the state meet in Helena on Saturday.
Sam Rickert, soccer, Trinity, Louisville
Senior forward scored a hat trick in a 3-0 defeat over Kentucky Country Day on Saturday in the Seventh Region Tournament final.
Bowman Sells, quarterback, Lovejoy, Lucas, Texas
Junior threw for 370 yards and seven touchdowns and ran for a touchdown in a 75-30 win at Prosper on Friday.
Brendan Smith, quarterback, Seekonk, Mass.
Junior threw for 398 yards and seven touchdowns in a 48-20 defeat of Old Rochester (Mattapoisett) on Thursday.
Maurice Thomas, running back, Talawanda, Oxford, Ohio
Miami of Ohio commit ran for a school-record 414 yards and scored six touchdowns (five rushing, one receiving) as Talawanda defeated Meadowdale (Dayton) 41-24 on Friday.
John Urzua, quarterback, North Gwinnett, Suwanee, Ga.
Senior completed 18 of 27 passes for 399 yards and seven touchdowns, including five to Joshua Imatorbhebhe, in a 71-24 defeat of Duluth on Friday. It was Urzua’s second seven-touchdown game this season.
Madi Walter, volleyball, Hortonville, Wis.
Junior had 19 kills and 16 digs to help her team defeat Appleton North (Appleton) 3-2 in a Division I Regional final on Saturday.