AURORA – Holy Family softball pitcher Emmaline Humphreys didn’t appear to have the joy of a player who had led her team to the 4A state final in the immediate aftermath of Saturday morning’s semifinal at Aurora Sports Park.

Instead, she was speaking to a pair of coaches, seemingly decompressing from the tension of the game she just endured. Humphreys, who is committed to Stanford, struck out 18 Palmer Ridge batters on Saturday, but the contest was no rout. Wielding a spirit of persistence and a refusal to quit, the Bears pushed to the talented Tigers pitcher to her limit in an eight-inning battle for the right to play for a state title in the afternoon. In the end, Holy Family prevailed 4-2, ending a historic season for the Monument-based softball program.  

The Bears won a school-record 23 games this season, hoisted league and regional trophies for the first time in school history, and became the first team to advance to the state semifinals. The last goal on the list was the state championship. 

“Our objective was to get here. We had three goals. First time we ever won a conference title, we accomplish that. Our second goal was to win a regional title, we accomplished that, and our third goal was to win the state championship,” coach Dion Arellano said. “It was not awestruck, it was expectation. … In sports, if you go up and you’re awestruck you’re not going to perform. These girls were not awestruck to the last strike, we’re not awestruck. We were fighting. Every team has a personality and our personality is to fight.”

The Bears showcased that fight after getting down early. The Tigers scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning when Holy Family senior Jaelyn Sandoval scored a teammate on a sacrifice fly. 

Palmer Ridge entered Saturday averaging over 10 runs per game, but Humphreys was able to put a lid on the Bears’ offense for a majority of the game, allowing just eight hits. 

However, the Bears were just as stingy defensively. Palmer Ridge junior pitcher Pam Boyarko struck out seven and allowed just nine hits.

“She’s our battery, she’s throwing every single game,” senior Corinna Arellano said of Boyarko. “We’re relying on her, she’s relying on us. That helps us bring our camaraderie together.” 

True to Corinna’s words, when Boyarko’s pitches didn’t do the trick against Holy Family, her teammates had her back. In the bottom of the third inning, Palmer Ridge got two Holy Family runners out on a wild double play. The Bears got the out at second after a line drive, but missed on the subsequent throw to first. However, the Tigers’ runner hesitated before taking off for second base, allowing Palmer Ridge to recover and earn the out. 

Corinna made the tag for the out on that play and made arguably the biggest play of the Bears’ season in the bottom of the sixth. She cracked the code against Humphreys and crushed the ball deep to center field for a solo home run to tie the game and ignite Palmer Ridge’s dugout and fans. 

“Saw it low and that’s my spot. I’ve known that’s my spot since I was little. Drop ball or just a low fastball in general,” Corinna said. “She’s throwing hard so a lot of our approach was see it, let your bat do the work and a bunch of us were a little bit swinging out of our shoes. I did it a couple times but just letting the bat travel. Our bat has natural speed so just letting the ball get there, putting the bat on the ball. I think it was just staying calm, knowing that pressure’s a privilege.”

The pressure grew exponentially as the contest went to extra innings after the Tigers and Bears were knotted at one run apiece through seven. 

But it was the Tigers who found their offense after being held off the board since their first at-bat. Giuliana Magnetti scored Carly Turney for the go-ahead run and then Humphreys scored two off a ground ball. 

In the bottom of the eighth, the Bears loaded the bases and senior Tehani Lum-Perreira scored sophomore Kayleigh Garcia but Humphreys closed the door on Palmer Ridge with her final strikeout. 

Arellano hugged each and every one of his players and staff following his postgame speech. 

Corinna showcased her pride in her team despite her tears. 

“I think this season was huge. It means so much to me and the other seniors, especially since this is our last one. It was just monumental and I think it was such a great season. I think it was just super special,” she said. “Not out of the ordinary. I mean Palmer Ridge has more years to come. We’re gonna be here next year.”