Liquor Booth Shot of the Week: Biggerstaff’s diving catch helps preserve Canton shutout

CANTON, Mo. — The Canton softball team held a 1-0 advantage over North Shelby in Saturday’s championship game of the Paris Tournament. Tigers coach Kristyn Caldwell wasn’t sure her team could hang on.

“We had made some errors throughout the game,” she said. “We probably had at least four.”

Kinsey Biggerstaff then made a play that eased Caldwell’s nerves. 

North Shelby’s Natalie Thrasher swung at an 0-1 pitch from Tigers pitcher Kenzie Guilfoyle as she led off the sixth inning. She hit a soft popup headed for the third-base dugout. 

Biggerstaff, Canton’s catcher, raced about four steps and dove to make a remarkable catch.

“That was a good momentum change,” Caldwell said. “She made that catch, and we were just like, ‘All right, we’ve got to focus in and finish up the game.’”

Canton’s Macy Glasgow retired the next two hitters on ground balls, and Guilfoyle struck out the side in the seventh to wrap up the 1-0 victory. But Caldwell thought Biggerstaff’s play gave the Tigers the spark they needed.

“It was a huge out,” Caldwell said. “I knew it was gonna be a good omen. She’s probably had four or five catches like that. For her to make those plays is common. That’s just the first one I was able to catch on video.

It also is the first one to be recognized. It’s the Liquor Booth Shot of the Game for the week of Sept. 19-25.

Biggerstaff is hitting .333 for the Tigers, third-best on the squad. Caldwell also credits the sophomore catcher for how she handles the team’s pitchers.

“She does call the game behind the plate,” Caldwell said. “She and Kenzie work very well together. They’re starting to feed off each other and learning. It’s a sophomore with a senior. They’re coming together, and they have made a lot of progress.”