Prep softball: Kaylee Levien’s slam powers North Central at District 8 3A
As a catcher, Kaylee Levien attempts to get a early read each game on an umpire’s strike zone.
But sometimes, she said, you just have to wing it.
Levien pounded a grand slam and finished with six runs batted in Tuesday as North Central (10-10) qualified for regionals with a 15-8 win over Mt. Spokane in District 8 3A play at Whitworth University.
Levien snapped a 4-all tie with her first prep grand slam, a long shot that cleared the wall in left field in the third inning.
“(The umpire’s) zone was kind of vague, so I was just looking for anything I could get my bat on,” the junior said. “It just happened to be where I liked it, and as soon as it hit off the bat I knew.”
Levien added a two-run double in the fourth.
“It was a big push to keep playing for our (four) seniors,” said coach Rob Kuehn, whose Indians had lost to Mt. Spokane 3-2 and 5-4 during the Greater Spokane League season. “The younger girls are buying in that we’re pretty good.”
NC finished with 14 hits, including a 4-for-5 effort by pitcher Brooke Olson, who scored four runs.
“We hadn’t really broken out against (Mt. Spokane) before, so it really shows that we’re out here to play,” Levien said. “We’re not going to stop.”
NC meets GSL champ Shadle Park (18-2) at 5 p.m. Thursday for the district title and regional seeding.
Kaitlyn Zemke finished 3 for 4 with two RBIs for the Wildcats (13-8). Her two-out RBI double in the second gave Mt. Spokane a short-lived 4-3 lead.
District 8 4A
Lewis and Clark 9, Gonzaga Prep 8: The Tigers (7-14) took advantage of three errors in the bottom of the seventh to rally in a loser-out game at Whitworth.
Darrian Staab’s two-out, two-run single to left gave G-Prep (4-17) an 8-7 lead in the top of the seventh. LC had taken a 7-6 lead in the bottom of the sixth on Naomi Harris’ two-out, two-run single to center.
G-Prep led 5-0 when the Tigers started fighting back in the third. LC freshman pitcher Taylor John relieved in the second and finished with eight strikeouts.
“Just kids battling and not giving up,” LC coach Paul Neff said. “(The Bullpups) made quite a few of their (mistakes) at the end and we made ours at the beginning. Young teams get nervous and there’s not much you can do about that.”
The Tigers will meet top-seeded University (16-4) at 5 tonight for a berth to regionals.
District 7 2A
East Valley 7, Clarkston 6: Taylor Rebman’s two-run triple in the sixth tied the game and Kendall Brown scored the winning run on a throwing error as the host Knights (12-9) eliminated the Bantams (2-17).
EV will host Pullman at 4 p.m. Thursday in a winner-to-regional, loser-out game.
Pullman 20, West Valley 10: Becca Wickard and Kelsey Nestegard had two RBIs apiece as the host Greyhounds (8-9) eliminated the Eagles (9-12).
District 7 2B
Davenport (14-8) and Springdale (14-7) advanced to Tuesday’s semifinals and qualified for regionals. Sydney Abbott went 3 for 5 with two RBIs as Davenport notched a 7-5 win over host Kettle Falls (12-9). Eilish Smith struck out eight and Taylor Gray went 3 for 3 to lead host Springdale to a 10-6 win over Lind-Ritzville/Sprague (9-11). Tuesday’s schedule at Merkel Field: LRS vs. KF, 11 a.m.; Springdale vs. Northwest Christian (15-5), 1 p.m.; and Davenport vs. Colfax (19-1), 1.