D-B’s Fun-Loving Tipton Pitches Lady Indians Into Regional
Few enjoy playing softball more than Dobyns-Bennett pitcher Julianne Tipton.
Some may call it brashness or even cockiness, but for the chatty and emotional Arizona State signee, it’s the pure exhilaration of being in the circle.
“I cannot wait to come to softball every day,” said Tipton. “I leave D-block early just to go sit at the field and be the first one to see my best friends. I love the people I play with.”
Tipton thoroughly enjoyed Tuesday’s 3-1 District 1-AAAA Tournament win over regular season champion Daniel Boone on the Lady ‘Blazers home field, punching out ten hitters in the process including the final on a pitch that’s not always been kind recently.
“Softball is fun,” added Tipton. “Why would I not be excited to get a strikeout on a pitch I’ve struggled to throw the past three weeks.
“Last pitch of the game was a change up for a strikeout and that’s huge for me. Why would I not let that show? I love playing, I love to be here and I’m going to act like it.”
The win sends the Lady Indians (27-10) to the regional tournament for the third straight year, a spot Boone has been on a regular basis as well on the way to three straight state tournament berths.
“Boone has been an incredible team for three years,” noted Tipton. “Every kid can hit and almost every kid can hit a home run.”
Dobyns-Bennett had chances to put runs up in support of Tipton in each of the first three innings. A pair of Riley McMillen sacrifice bunts following Hailey Porter’s leadoff singles in the first and third both failed to bring Porter around.
With runners on first and third and two outs in the fourth, Boone passed on dealing with Porter again and loaded the bases for the freshman McMillan.
“It’s one of the easiest things to do, doubt a freshman,” advised Tipton. “But there has not been a time in the box where I thought, man, she (McMillan) won’t get on.”
Indeed, McMillan lined a single up the middle that scored Payton Moore. For Moore, it was a sigh of relief after her blast to right field leading off the frame hit the top of the fence …just as Moore was trotting to first.
“Everybody thought that was one gone,” smiled Tipton. “But it got us going that inning.”
Tipton sacrificed Moore to second and Claudia Maness reached when her pop up dropped in short center. An out later, Porter was walked to bring up McMillan.
“That’s happened a couple of times this season and it hasn’t ended the way I wanted it to,” said McMillian. “To get that single back up the middle and get the hit to start the scoring, that was one of the best things that’s happened to me this season.”
The gritty freshman said having the veterans like Tipton in her corner both at the plate and behind it means everything
“That gives me a lot more confidence in myself,” added McMillan. “It just means a lot that she trusts me so much.”
Tipton noted that when told a freshman might be catching her this season, she was genuinely concerned for the youngster’s well-being.
“As someone who throws 70 mph, I don’t want to kill this kid,” thought Tipton. “I’m worried for her safety.”
A couple of bullpen sessions later and the worry quickly ceased.
“After that I said that’s one of most dogs I’ve ever seen in my life,” added Tipton. “I trust Riley McMillan 1000% of the way. And that’s the difference knowing that no matter what I do, no ball gets by. And if it does, it’s my fault. That kid can do it.”
And so can the sophomore Allie McConnelee who followed with another single that brought in Tipton and Porter.
“Just two huge hits there,” said Dobyns-Bennett coach Andy Hubbard, whose squad will face the winner of tonight’s elimination game between Science Hill and Daniel Boone for the title on Thursday. Either would have to defeat the Lady Indians twice.
“Julianne got some rest last week and now she’ll get some rest tomorrow,” continued Hubbard. “She threw great and we played great defense. It’s a good position to be in.”
Tipton scattered seven Boone hits, working around a leadoff double in the third by Kaylea Osborne and a leadoff single from Sadie Henson in the fifth.
Josie Jenkins poked a one-out double in the sixth and scored the Lady ‘Blazers only run on an Ava Saul single a batter later. But Saul was thrown out trying to stretch her hit into a two-bagger as well.
In the seventh, Boone put the tying runs on first and second courtesy of singles by Henson and Osborne, but Tipton got a pop-up to herself and the strikeout with the winning run at the plate to seal the game.
Porter and McConnelle both finished 2-for-3 for the Lady Indians. Henson and Osborne were the same for Boone.
Dobyns-Bennett – Julianne Tipton and Riley McMillan. Daniel Boone – Ava Saul (1), Kaylea Osborne (2), Ava Saul (3), Kaylea Osborne (4), Ava Saul (5), Kaylea Osborne (6), Ava Saul (7) and McKenzie Strouth (1), Kyleigh Bacon (2), McKenzie Strouth (3), Kyleigh Bacon (4), McKenzie Strouth (5), Kyleigh Bacon (6), McKenzie Strouth (7). W – Julianne Tipton, L – Kaylea Osborne. 2B – Kaylea Osborne, Daniel Boone; Josie Jenkins, Daniel Boone. RBI – Allie McConnelee, Dobyns-Bennett 2; Riley McMillian, Dobyns-Bennett; Ava Saul, Daniel Boone. SAC – Riley McMillan, Dobyns-Bennett 2; Julianne Tipton, Dobyns-Bennett. SB – Payton Moore, Dobyns-Bennett. LOB – Dobyns-Bennett 9, Daniel Boone 5.
Some may call it brashness or even cockiness, but for the chatty and emotional Arizona State signee, it’s the pure exhilaration of being in the circle.
“I cannot wait to come to softball every day,” said Tipton. “I leave D-block early just to go sit at the field and be the first one to see my best friends. I love the people I play with.”
Tipton thoroughly enjoyed Tuesday’s 3-1 District 1-AAAA Tournament win over regular season champion Daniel Boone on the Lady ‘Blazers home field, punching out ten hitters in the process including the final on a pitch that’s not always been kind recently.
“Softball is fun,” added Tipton. “Why would I not be excited to get a strikeout on a pitch I’ve struggled to throw the past three weeks.
“Last pitch of the game was a change up for a strikeout and that’s huge for me. Why would I not let that show? I love playing, I love to be here and I’m going to act like it.”
The win sends the Lady Indians (27-10) to the regional tournament for the third straight year, a spot Boone has been on a regular basis as well on the way to three straight state tournament berths.
“Boone has been an incredible team for three years,” noted Tipton. “Every kid can hit and almost every kid can hit a home run.”
Dobyns-Bennett had chances to put runs up in support of Tipton in each of the first three innings. A pair of Riley McMillen sacrifice bunts following Hailey Porter’s leadoff singles in the first and third both failed to bring Porter around.
With runners on first and third and two outs in the fourth, Boone passed on dealing with Porter again and loaded the bases for the freshman McMillan.
“It’s one of the easiest things to do, doubt a freshman,” advised Tipton. “But there has not been a time in the box where I thought, man, she (McMillan) won’t get on.”
Indeed, McMillan lined a single up the middle that scored Payton Moore. For Moore, it was a sigh of relief after her blast to right field leading off the frame hit the top of the fence …just as Moore was trotting to first.
“Everybody thought that was one gone,” smiled Tipton. “But it got us going that inning.”
Tipton sacrificed Moore to second and Claudia Maness reached when her pop up dropped in short center. An out later, Porter was walked to bring up McMillan.
“That’s happened a couple of times this season and it hasn’t ended the way I wanted it to,” said McMillian. “To get that single back up the middle and get the hit to start the scoring, that was one of the best things that’s happened to me this season.”
The gritty freshman said having the veterans like Tipton in her corner both at the plate and behind it means everything
“That gives me a lot more confidence in myself,” added McMillan. “It just means a lot that she trusts me so much.”
Tipton noted that when told a freshman might be catching her this season, she was genuinely concerned for the youngster’s well-being.
“As someone who throws 70 mph, I don’t want to kill this kid,” thought Tipton. “I’m worried for her safety.”
A couple of bullpen sessions later and the worry quickly ceased.
“After that I said that’s one of most dogs I’ve ever seen in my life,” added Tipton. “I trust Riley McMillan 1000% of the way. And that’s the difference knowing that no matter what I do, no ball gets by. And if it does, it’s my fault. That kid can do it.”
And so can the sophomore Allie McConnelee who followed with another single that brought in Tipton and Porter.
“Just two huge hits there,” said Dobyns-Bennett coach Andy Hubbard, whose squad will face the winner of tonight’s elimination game between Science Hill and Daniel Boone for the title on Thursday. Either would have to defeat the Lady Indians twice.
“Julianne got some rest last week and now she’ll get some rest tomorrow,” continued Hubbard. “She threw great and we played great defense. It’s a good position to be in.”
Tipton scattered seven Boone hits, working around a leadoff double in the third by Kaylea Osborne and a leadoff single from Sadie Henson in the fifth.
Josie Jenkins poked a one-out double in the sixth and scored the Lady ‘Blazers only run on an Ava Saul single a batter later. But Saul was thrown out trying to stretch her hit into a two-bagger as well.
In the seventh, Boone put the tying runs on first and second courtesy of singles by Henson and Osborne, but Tipton got a pop-up to herself and the strikeout with the winning run at the plate to seal the game.
Porter and McConnelle both finished 2-for-3 for the Lady Indians. Henson and Osborne were the same for Boone.
Dobyns-Bennett | 000 | 300 | 0 | -- | 3 | 8 | 0 |
Daniel Boone | 000 | 001 | 0 | -- | 1 | 17 | 1 |
Dobyns-Bennett – Julianne Tipton and Riley McMillan. Daniel Boone – Ava Saul (1), Kaylea Osborne (2), Ava Saul (3), Kaylea Osborne (4), Ava Saul (5), Kaylea Osborne (6), Ava Saul (7) and McKenzie Strouth (1), Kyleigh Bacon (2), McKenzie Strouth (3), Kyleigh Bacon (4), McKenzie Strouth (5), Kyleigh Bacon (6), McKenzie Strouth (7). W – Julianne Tipton, L – Kaylea Osborne. 2B – Kaylea Osborne, Daniel Boone; Josie Jenkins, Daniel Boone. RBI – Allie McConnelee, Dobyns-Bennett 2; Riley McMillian, Dobyns-Bennett; Ava Saul, Daniel Boone. SAC – Riley McMillan, Dobyns-Bennett 2; Julianne Tipton, Dobyns-Bennett. SB – Payton Moore, Dobyns-Bennett. LOB – Dobyns-Bennett 9, Daniel Boone 5.
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