W.F. West wins second Class 2A softball title in three years

In some way, what happened last season to W.F. West High School wasn’t fair.

The Bearcats lost just one softball game. And it happened to come in the Class 2A state tournament to Fife in the semifinals at Carlon Park in Selah.

Well, coach Mike Keen’s group dropped two games during the regular season in 2017.

Most importantly, the Bearcats did not lose in this weekend’s state tournament, winning the 2A title Saturday with a 5-1 victory over Port Angeles.

Ace pitcher Lexi Strasser, who is headed to Central Washington University, allowed just one third-inning run. She gave up six hits and struck out nine in earning the victory.

Kindra Davis and Paetynn Lopez had run-scoring hits in the opening inning that gave W.F. West an early 2-0 lead.

And Kyndra Haller’s two-run home run of Port Angeles ace Nizhani Wheeler in the third inning proved to be the big blow.

In the earlier semifinal game, the Bearcats toppled Ellsenburg, 4-0, to set up the championship meeting against Port Angeles.

W.F. West has now won two 2A titles in three seasons – and its fourth state crown since 2000.

TENNIS

Capital’s Ranjan Sharangpani was the 3A state runner-up in the boys singles tournament in Kennewick.

Sharangpani lost 6-1, 6-1 to Seattle Prep’s Aaron Yuan in the finals. He beat August Knox of Garfield (5-7, 6-2, 6-2) earlier in the day to advance to the final match.

In 3A boys doubles, North Thurston’s Michael Campbell and Thomas Sui lost in three sets (4-6, 6-3, 7-5) to Christian Anderson and Chris Elliott of Mercer Island in the championship match to take second.

Campbell and Sui beat Seattle Prep’s Matt Zech and Alex Blattner (6-4, 6-1) in the semifinals earlier in the day in Kennewick to advance.

This story was originally published May 27, 2017 at 7:34 PM with the headline "W.F. West wins second Class 2A softball title in three years."