Quilcene softball 2-3 in state tourney games

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The Quilcene softball team fell just short of going all the way during the Olympic 1B State Tournament over the Memorial Day weekend.

 

SUNNYSIDE CHRISTIAN

In their first game at the Gateway Sports Complex in Yakima May 25, Quilcene overwhelmed the Sunnyside Christian Knights by a score of 9-2.

While Quilcene made its first 2 points in the first inning, Sunnyside Christian could not score a single point until the fourth inning, during which Quilcene countered the Knights with a point of their own.

Although the Knights scored their second point in the sixth inning, Quilcene racked up another 6 points in response.

Of the Quilcene hitters, Abby Weller went 1-4, while Erin Macedo went 2-3 with a triple, Sydney Brown went 1-3 with a double and 3 runs batted in, Pearl Munn went 2-4 with 2 RBI, Katie Love went 1-3, Marissa Kieffer went 1-3 and Allie Speer went 2-3.

“In the first inning, the Rangers rallied, with two outs and nobody on base, to score two runs,” Quilcene coach Mark Thompson said.

By hitting a 2 RBI single, Munn put the Rangers up 2-0 straight out of the gate.

Nonetheless, Thompson credited Sunnyside Christian, whom the Quilcene Rangers have now beaten four times in four years at state, with keeping the game close through five innings, and even scattering 11 hits.

“They only scored two runs, due to pitcher Weller not giving up any walks.”

When the Rangers finally broke through in the sixth inning, Thompson lauded Sydney Brown's bases-clearing double for capping off a 6-run rally.

“This was a real solid effort by our team,” Thompson said. “Sunnyside Christian is a great team, and we were fortunate enough to play well and win.”

 

INCHELIUM

The Quilcene Rangers' victory over the Inchelium Hornets in their second game May 25 was only slightly less lopsided.

Quilcene was actually down by a score of 2-1 in the third inning, before the Rangers scored a lone point in the fourth inning, then racked up 4 points each in the fifth and sixth innings.

The Hornets could only manage to score a single point each in the fifth and sixth innings, and made zero points in the seventh, leaving Quilcene the victors by a margin of 10-4.

Of the Quilcene hitters, Madison Coffey went 1-2 with 3 runs, Weller went 3-4 with 1 RBI, Erin Macedo went 4-4 with 4 RBI, Sydney Brown went 3-4 with 2 RBI, Pearl Munn went 1-3, Gina Brown went 1-3, Katie Love went  2-4 and Allie Speer went 1-3 with a triple.

“In the state semifinal game, the Rangers finally solved pitching standout Meika Heath, erupting for 8 runs over the last two innings to defeat the Hornets and advance to the state championship game for the second year in a row,” Thompson said. “The Rangers pounded out 16 hits over the course of the game, with the 3 straight hits in the sixth inning by Erin Macedo, Sydney Brown and Pearl Munn getting Quilcene the lead for good.”

Coffey led off the inning with a double, and Love placed a bunt “perfectly,” according to Thompson, who attributed the Hornets “throwing the ball away” to how they were “trying to get the speedy Love out,” allowing two more runs to score.

“They had trouble fielding the bunt all game,” Thompson said. “Small ball isn't a huge strength of ours, but that day, we showed we can be successful with it.”

Thompson deemed this game “a huge win” for Quilcene, given that Inchelium's players were the east side champions this year, with what he freely conceded were a “good” pitcher and “really good” hitters.

“I really like how our team responded to the pressure of this game,” Thompson said. “I feel that was a big difference. I think the pressure got to our opponents a bit, and our girls wore their poker faces all game long. I'm very proud of all of them.”

 

ALMIRA-COULEE-HARTLINE

Unfortunately, all winning streaks have to come to an end eventually, and for Quilcene, those back-to-back victories failed to extend into their following day of play May 26, against Almira-Coulee-Hartline, whose Warriors blanked the Rangers 11-0.

Of Quilcene's hitters, only Weller got off 2-2, since ACH refused to allowing any runner past first base.

“Give them all the credit,” Thompson said of ACH. “They played great. They didn't allow us to get up after they hit us in the first inning.”

Warriors pitcher Sarah Bradshaw was on the whole game.

“She came inside on almost every pitch,” Thompson said. “It was nothing but inside fastballs, and we didn't adjust.”

Still, Thompson commended his players on their progress overall.

“Our program continues to climb the ladder,” Thompson said. “We've become a big school program at a small school with all our numbers, and we've also shown ourselves to be the only west side team that can consistently compete with the teams in the east.”