Sasquatch Stunned, Eliminated

NWAACC softball

When you host a tournament you’re not supposed to be eliminated after the first two games. Tell that to the Community Colleges of Spokane, which was knocked out of the NWAACC softball tournament in its own back yard.

“We didn’t look like the team that has played the last 15 games,” head coach Janet Skaife said of CCS, who before Saturday’s losses had won 15 consecutive games. “We were favored to win the thing and should not have lost.”

In the early matchup, CCS lost 5-4 in 10 innings to Mt. Hood Community College. Spokane was eliminated by Clackamas Community College 3-1 in a consolation bracket game.

“I can’t believe its over - we worked so hard,” said pitcher Kylee Curry, reflecting on the season.

Curry took the loss versus Mt. Hood after pitching a full 10 innings. Four of the five runs scored on Curry were unearned.

Tied at 4 in the top of the 10th inning, Mt. Hood’s Becky Dean scored on a groundout by Nichole Roots. Dean had advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Amy Evans. Under international tiebreaker rules, Dean started the inning on second base.

Spokane failed to score in the bottom of the inning to end the game.

“We pride ourselves on making the plays we’re capable of making - we didn’t do that today,” Skaife said.

Errors cost CCS dearly. They committed 10 in all, five in each game.

“I don’t think we’ve committed 10 errors in the last 20 games.”

Facing elimination against Clackamas, CCS scored first in the second inning, but Clackamas answered with what proved to be the deciding runs.

“We couldn’t put together back-to-back hits,” said Skaife.

Clackamas scored on a wild pitch by Jenny Lytle and RBI single by Jessica Farnsworth. Clackamas’ Jessica Rowley scored the third and final run in the sixth on a two-out single by Kirsten Richards.

“It’s hard because we know we’re better than we played,” said catcher Missy Bonanno.

CCS’ .400 hitter, Lytle was 1 for 8 for the day with a double.

“She didn’t have a very good tournament,” Skaife said.

Lower Columbia College was ranked No. 1 going into the tournament and showed why by shutting out both its opponents. LCC topped Wenatchee Valley 2-0 and Walla Walla 3-0 and will meet Mt. Hood in a winner-to-championship game today at 10 a.m.

Clackamas and Olympic meet in a consolation bracket game also at 10 a.m. The winner of the Clackamas-Olympic game plays the loser of the Mt. Hood-LCC game in a game that will determine the second finalist.