NC eliminated after a 1-2 Friday

TACOMA – During a near carbon copy first day of last year’s State 3A softball tournament, Lenae Brown admitted to a case of the nerves when she came to bat with two runners on and two out in the sixth inning of North Central’s Friday opener against Auburn Riverside at SERA Fields.

But she also took strange comfort in the scoreless nature of the contest.

“It calms me more because we normally go there,” said the senior veteran of the Indians’ penchant for low-scoring thrillers.

Brown lifted a fly ball between center and right field just out of glove reach of the Ravens’ right fielder, who had given chase and lunged for what could have been the saving catch. Both runners scored, plenty for Kelsie Vallies, who finished off a 2-0 victory, putting last year’s fourth-place finisher in the quarterfinals once more.

But also like last year, the Indians drew Kennedy in the second round. A year ago, Kennedy won 2-1 on its way to the state title. This time, the Lancers prevailed 3-0 – all the runs unearned – relegating NC to consolation action and a late-night loser-out game.

Unlike last year, however, when the Indians bounced back from their loss to Kennedy to win the nightcap and two of three games on Saturday, their season ended with a 6-2 loss to Kamiakin.

Vallies and Auburn Riverside pitcher Amanda Fitzsimmons pitched one shutout inning after another. NC had chances to score, but it came down to the sixth when Vallies hit a one-out triple into the right-field corner. She appeared destined to stay there, however, until Brown delivered.

“It seems like they’re all like that,” said coach Herm Marshall of NC’s penchant for thrillers.

Like last year, scoring opportunities in NC’s second game, against the Lancers’ Texas Tech-bound pitcher Karli Merlich, were nil. The Indians managed just one base runner through 6 2/3 innings before Kim Hare broke up a no-hitter.

Vallies retired 11 straight before a walk, single and outfield error in the fourth inning broke up the shutout.

The Indians then lost to Kamiakin for the second time in two weeks.

The problem was that in five playoff games last week and this, Arkansas-bound Vallies for the most part matched her 3A pitching counterparts. But NC scored just six runs in 37 innings.

Vallies finished her career that included four straight state trips. The Indians finished the season with a 19-7 overall record.