Lakeside makes semifinals
The field for the Final Four of the State 1A fastpitch softball tournament at Franklin Park has a familiar look.
Three of last year’s semifinal teams return, led by defending state champion Castle Rock, which rode back-to-back shutouts by pitcher Sam Watkins, including a quarterfinal-round no-hitter.
The Rockets will take on Lakeside in a 10 a.m. semifinal game today. The Eagles from Nine Mile Falls lost a 6-0 decision to Castle Rock in last year’s quarterfinal round.
Montesano, which lost a 10-9 decision to the Rockets in last year’s final, takes on La Center in what promises to be a pitcher’s duel in the other 10 a.m. semi.
The rule of the day was pitching.
Watkins allowed just one hit in 12 innings of work to put her team in position to defend its championship. The senior struck out 10 while cruising past River View in the first round. In the quarterfinal round she allowed just two Cedar Park Christian baserunners – one on a walk, the other on a hit batter en route to an 11-0 victory.
Montesano, on the other hand, got standout performances from two different pitchers to earn its semifinal berth.
Sophomore Devyn Baker gave up just two hits and fanned 11 as the Bulldogs blanked Royal, 8-0. Junior Mikayla Shumate carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning against Chelan and struck out 13 in a 4-2 victory.
“I had no idea I had a no-hitter,” Shumate laughed. “But that’s a good thing. If I knew about it I would have gotten all distracted.”
Shumate outdueled Chelan’s Kim Harter in a stellar pitching match-up. Harter did not give up an earned run and halved the Montesano lead in the seventh with her second two-run home run of the day, driving a curveball over the fence in left field.
La Center pitcher Mariah Dawson staked herself to the lead with an RBI-single in the sixth inning. The sophomore worked her way out of a fifth-inning jam, allowing back-to-back singles to open the inning, and earned the three-hit shutout victory.
The Eagles took another route to the semifinal round, outslugging Onalaska 13-6.
“We’ve been waiting for a game like this to get our bats going again,” senior catcher Melissa Barcellos said. “This is pretty much the way we’ve been hitting all season. The last couple games we’ve come up against some pretty good pitchers, but we’re excited to face the kind of pitching you find at the state tournament.”
Barcellos had the big hit for the Eagles, blasting a grand slam in the nine-run third inning.
Freeman, which lost a 3-0 decision to Cedar Park Christian in the first round, rebounded to knock off River View, 6-1, behind a dominating performance by pitcher Casey Olson.
The Scotties, who were no-hit by Chelan’s Harter in the regional championship game, managed four hits in a consolation-round rematch. Still, Freeman was eliminated 10-1.
“I don’t think anyone expected us to get this far,” coach Scott Moore said. “When we’ve reached state before it was always two-and-out, so to win a game and be one of the state’s 12 best teams is good.”
2A: At Carlon Park in Selah, Colville defeated Sehome 8-7 and Hoquiam 15-1 to reach the semifinals. The Indians will play Burlington-Edison in one semifinal. Othello and Centralia meet in the other. West Valley and Pullman both lost twice.
2B: At Kiwanis Park in Yakima, Selkirk’s Heather Pope pitched a no-hitter in a 7-0 victory over Orcas in the opener but the Rangers lost 3-1 to Mossyrock in the quarterfinals. The Rangers will play in the consolation semifinals this afternoon.
Liberty defeated Seattle Lutheran 8-2 and Lind-Ritzville beat La Salle 13-5 in consolation games to advance to today, both with the possibility of earning third place.
1B: At Kiwanis Park in Yakima, Garfield-Palouse won twice and will play Touchet for the championship. The Vikings defeated Columbia (Hunters) 10-6 and Sunnyside Christian 11-4. Columbia and Inchelium have made it to separate consolation semifinals. Odessa was eliminated in two games.