U-Hi softball has trophy in sight

The University Titans kept their State 3A trophy hopes alive despite losing their first-round game on Friday at Regional Athletic Complex in Lacey.

In the opener, the Mountlake Terrace Hawks scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally from a one-run deficit and post an 11-8 victory.

But U-Hi refused to fold.

The Titans did the rallying in the second game, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to slip past the Holy Names Cougars, 9-8. Breann Warren drove in Jordan Schmerer with the tying run and Andrea Fitzsimmons’ double drove in courtesy runner Alyssa Hall with the winning run.

University followed that with a 13-9 win over the Mt. Si Wildcats and live to play a second day. U-Hi trailed 4-3 before scoring four runs in each of the third and fourth innings. Warren belted two home runs and accounted for five RBIs. She was also intentionally walked twice. Schmerer was 3 for 3.

The Titans square off against the Kamiakin Braves of Kennewick today at 11 a.m. in a loser-out contest. U-Hi can still finish as high as third.

The Mt. Spokane Wildcats were eliminated despite winning their opener 7-2 over the Capital Cougars. Kaylene Peterson’s grand slam in the third inning broke the game open. She finished 2 for 4 and scored a pair of runs. Katelyn Bauman went the distance to pick up the win. She struck out 10 and allowed just three hits.

In the second game of the day, the Bainbridge Spartans sent the Wildcats into the losers’ bracket with a 6-0 win.

Nothing went right for Mt. Spokane in its third game of the day. The Bonney Lake Panthers put it on cruise control and rolled to a 24-1 five-inning win.

1B: Maddy Isaak pitched a complete-game three-hitter, striking out five along the way, and the Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors blanked the Garfield-Palouse Vikings 4-0 at Gateway Sports Complex in Yakima to advance to the state championship game today against the Selkirk Rangers.

The two finalists were champions of the Northeast 1B’s two divisions.

Nikki Osborne had two of the Warriors’ six hits against Gar-Pal pitcher Emily Witthuhn, who fanned seven.

Gar-Pal advanced by pounding the Wishkah Valley Loggers 16-2 in five innings in its opener. Erin Witthuhn went 3 for 4 with four RBIs. She tripled during the Vikings’ 13-run fifth inning.

ACH walloped the Highland Christian Knights 35-7 in its first game.

Selkirk advanced to the championship game by cruising past the Quilcene Rangers 16-5 and then shutting out the Colton Wildcats 5-0 in the semifinals.

Against Quilcene, RaeAnn McCollim went 4 for 5 with a pair of RBIs and Kirby Anderson went 3 for 5 with two RBIs.

Colton topped the Sunnyside Christian Knights 7-5.

Gar-Pal plays Sunnyside Christian at 2 p.m. Colton takes on Highland Christian or Wishkah Valley at 2 p.m.

2A: The West Valley Eagles went 2-1 on the opening day of the state tournament at Carlon Park in Selah.

West Valley doubled up W.F. West 10-5, before falling to Anacortes 10-8 in the second game.

The Eagles kept their trophy hopes alive by edging the Franklin Pierce Cardinals 2-1.

West Valley takes on Othello today at 10 a.m. with a chance to finish as high as third.

2B: The Reardan Indians split a pair of games during the opening day of state tournament play at Gateway Sports Complex in Yakima.

Reardan (12-11) lost its opener 5-1 to the Dayton Bulldogs. Bailey Wiedmer drove in a run in the top of the first inning, but the Indians left the bases loaded and Dayton pitcher Kayla Turner held them in check the rest of the way.

Reardan bounced back to beat the Kittitas Coyotes 14-13 and will play the Colfax-Pe Ell loser at 10 a.m. today.

The Kettle Falls Bulldogs opened with a 13-10 win over the La Conner Braves. But the Bulldogs were knocked into the losers’ bracket after being blanked 10-0 by the Mossyrock Vikings. Kettle Falls plays the Toutle Lake Ducks this morning at 10.

Northwest Christian also split a pair of games. The Crusaders doubled up the Warden Cougars 8-4 in the first game, before losing to the DeSales Fighting Irish 8-1. Northwest Christian plays La Conner today at 10 a.m. in a loser-out game.

The Colfax Bulldogs romped to a 12-2 victory over the Liberty Bell Mountain Lions. Colfax played Pe Ell Trojans in a late game. A win would put the Bulldogs in the semifinals and match them up against DeSales.