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Trailing by two runs and down to its final two outs against Kennedy in the opening game of Monday’s 3A West Central District III fastpitch tournament, the Cougars’ offense got an instant spark, scoring three runs on three hits – and two Kennedy errors – to rally for a 4-3 victory at Sprinker Recreation Center.
“A lot of heart won this one,” Capital coach Mel Weems said. “To fight back like that takes a lot of heart. It was a great effort by everyone on the team.”
Timberline, the other South Sound team in the tournament, was eliminated after losses to Enumclaw, 3-1, and Camas, 4-2.
Because of last week’s wet weather, the tournament was postponed twice, and finally got under way Monday. The tournament is scheduled to conclude today.
However, tournament officials decided late Monday that if rain makes for unplayable field conditions today, all teams in the winners’ bracket from Monday will automatically advance to the state tournament, and the remainder of the tournament will be canceled.
In 3A, Capital, Bonney Lake, Enumclaw, Franklin Pierce, Mount Rainier, Port Angeles, Prairie and Union would make state. All eight teams won their opening-round games Monday.
Weather permitting, Capital faces Prairie at 10 a.m. today in a winner-to-state game. Prairie shut down Lakes, 9-1, on Monday.
Trailing 3-1 in the top of the seventh with one out, Capital got back-to-back hits by Rachel Dosland (single to left field) and Amanda Pope (single up the middle) to put runners on first and second. An error trimmed Kennedy’s lead to 3-2.
With runners on first and third, the next batter, Jenna Thill, singled to left field, scoring Alex Beckwith and Sarah Fondaw to give Capital the lead at 4-3.
Kennedy pitcher Jessica Lewis showed fatigue in the seventh when she gave up three runs on three hits. Capital had three hits before the seventh inning.
“We got some key hits at the right time and it worked out well for us,” Weems said.
Dosland gave up 12 hits, and got out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth for the Cougars.
Kennedy, which left nine runners on base, scored once in each of the first three innings to lead 3-0.
BLAZERS ELIMINATED
Timberline, champion of the Western Cascade Conference, suffered two losses and was eliminated.
Timberline scored in the first inning against Camas, and had a 1-0 lead thanks to Gatalina Schuster’s RBI double that scored Kylie Hanratty.
The Blazers didn’t score again until the sixth inning on Taylor Crambilt’s single that brought home Jenny Leyva. The Blazers went down in order in the fourth and fifth innings after back-to-back singles by Taryn Smith and Marikka Benson in the third.
Camas scored three runs in the third to take the lead. With runners on first and third, the Papermakers’ Mariah Jimenez singled up the middle for her second RBI of the game, giving Camas a 4-1 lead.
Against Enumclaw, the Hornets took the lead for good in the fifth inning, breaking open a 1-1 game by scoring two runs with two outs. Timberline took a 1-0 in the third inning on a throwing error.
Meg Wochnick: 360-754-5473 mwochnick@theolympian.com
