Shadle gets some consolation; NC out

TACOMA – Shadle Park and North Central softball teams discovered during State 3A competition on Friday at SERA Fields that you can only live dangerously for so long.

As a result, the mistake-prone NC’s Indians succumbed to Prairie and Shadle’s Highlanders squandered their share of scoring opportunities against first-time state qualifier Port Angeles, forcing both Spokane teams into consolation with tournament-opening losses.

Each score was 6-2, a four-run fourth inning dooming NC and a four-run sixth inning scuttling Shadle.

But a daring suicide squeeze bunt helped the Highlanders (20-6) rebound for a 2-1 Friday record and a game against Prairie today at 11 a.m. Shadle needs two wins to earn a fifth straight state trophy.

The Highlanders first defeated Bishop Blanchet 11-1 in six innings, then squeezed out the 5-4 triumph over Columbia River in the evening.

Not as fortunate, the Indians (12-15) gave up another big inning, this time a six-run fifth, losing 8-5 to Juanita that brought their season to an end.

•Shadle Park: Twice, when Columbia River battled from behind to tie, the Highlanders answered, none more dramatically than on Amber Johnson’s seventh-inning squeeze bunt that plated freshman Alana Norman with the winning run after the Chieftains’ Laura Luther had tied the game with a home run in the top of the inning.

“It was a full suicide squeeze,” coach George Lynn said. “I had my fastest kid running and it was a textbook bunt.”

Norman, a left-handed hitter, had slapped a double inside third base with one out and moved up on another such hit by Allie Burger.

Lynn said that while Johnson isn’t their best bunter, she is a clutch player. Johnson said during bunting drills she’s had to run the most for failure to execute.

But Norman was running on the second pitch to her and she put the ball down perfectly.

“I was so nervous,” Johnson said. “I didn’t know if Alana caught the sign and was freaking out. The ball was low and I had to lay it down. As soon as I did I knew we won the game.”

Earlier in the day Johnson had three hits, drove in a pair and scored twice during the victory over Blanchet. Shadle battered its foe for 13 hits and scored in every inning but the second.

“I’m glad we showed up for the second game,” coach Lynn said. “We should have done that the first game. There was no difference in the pitchers, but we came out flat (in the first game) and couldn’t recover.”

In their loss, the Highlanders scored in the first, although a second run in that frame was nullified on an obstruction call. They left the bases loaded in the second and two on in the fourth, dodged a couple of threats by Port Angeles and led 2-1 entering the sixth.

The Roughriders then batted around to take control.

Shadle leadoff batter Burger, her right wrist still taped to protect a wrist fracture, went 4 for 4. She led off the second game with a fifth straight hit and, with a 3-for-4 final game, finished 8 for 10 for the day.

•North Central: The visitors in both games, NC scored first twice. Leadoff batter Emily Gelbach smacked a two-out, two-run double the opposite way to left against Prairie for a 2-0 lead in the second inning. The Falcons tied it in the third and smacked three extra-base hits in the decisive fourth.

Echo Barline had pitched out of a two-error jam in the first inning and in the second when the Indians booted another ball. But two errors in the third prolonged the inning and another in the fourth was followed by a two-run double and run-scoring triple.

“The errors killed us, broke our backs,” coach Herm Marshall said. “That’s a pretty good-hitting team and we gave them too many outs.”

In the second game against Juanita, a couple of errors and passed ball put the Indians in front 3-0. The Rebels cut the lead to 3-2 in the third before Katherine Lively (4 for 4) doubled home a run in the fifth.

Juanita followed with a seven-hit inning including four doubles, three in succession.