State softball roundup: Wright’s pair of dominant shutouts lift Kentwood to 4A semifinals
Scattered around Washington, six softball clubs will hoist titles this Memorial Day weekend at the WIAA’s state championships.
A handful of South Sound contenders kicked off play Friday morning in first-round contests. Winners move to quarterfinals Friday evening, and losers move to a consolation ladder.
Semifinal contests — plus the state championship — commence Saturday.
Stay up-to-date on the South Sound’s softball programs here:
4A
QUARTERFINALS
No. 10 Kentwood 3, No. 2 Bothell 0
Sarah Wright did it again.
Kentwood’s ace pitcher provided two equally-mesmerizing performances on Friday, the latter a two-hit, complete-game shutout over No. 2 Bothell in the state quarterfinals.
One of the state’s top lineups had no answer for Wright, who sliced through Cougars and struck out 15.
But this performance included self-provided run support. Wright homered to center field in the third inning, which erased a scoreless tie and was enough for Kentwood’s win on its own.
Kentwood plated two more runs on a fourth-inning error, but Wright was the game’s star. Her efforts have the Conquerors dancing to Saturday’s 4A semifinals.
Earlier Friday, Wright tossed a one-hit shutout over No. 7 Emerald Ridge, helping Kentwood advance out of the first round, 1-0. On hours rest, she delivered again, delivering an upset.
Kentwood meets No. 6 Glacier Peak on Saturday morning for a trip to the 4A state championship later that evening. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. in Richland.
No. 1 Jackson 5, No. 8 Rogers 3
Rachel Sysum rocketed a game-winning, two-run homer in the final frame, which broke a late tie and pushed top-ranked Jackson over the Rams.
Rogers gave the bracket’s top seed a true test, but Sysum’s blast wiped away a valiant effort and near-upset.
Jackson’s Yanina Sherwood tossed a six-hit complete game, allowing Rogers’ three runs (two earned) with no walks and six strikeouts.
Rogers’ Madelyn Stanaway and Maddie Scott piled run-scoring singles in the second, which handed the Rams an early 3-2 lead. But Jackson tied the game in the third and held the score there before Sysum’s game-winning homer.
Jackson advances into the 4A semifinals and meets No. 4 Richland at 11 a.m. in Richland.
No. 4 Richland 9, No. 5 Puyallup 0
Richland’s Sophia Sams shoved a two-hit, complete-game shutout and stifled Puyallup hitters en route to the Bombers’ first-round victory.
Richland piled seven runs in the first pair of innings and cruised to victory behind Sams’ dazzling performance.
Five Bombers notched multi-hit games, and three drove in multiple runs. Shortstop Brooklynn Boyce collected three hits and three RBI, both game-bests.
Puyallup put one base runner in scoring position on Kyra Smith’s third-inning double.
The tournament’s host, Richland moves to Saturday’s 4A semifinals and meets top-seed Jackson at 11 a.m.
FIRST ROUND
No. 10 Kentwood 1, No. 7 Emerald Ridge 0
Those in attendance saw two of the state’s top arms dominate their position. But Kentwood’s Sarah Wright posted the shutout, an impeccable one-hit complete game that pushed the Conquerors, by the slimmest of margins, over Emerald Ridge.
Wright pushed Kentwood to an undefeated NPSL league title, and now has the Conquerors in the state quarterfinals. She issued one walk and struck out 13, and was perfect from the fourth inning on.
Kentwood rallied for victory in the seventh on Sarah Rothenberger’s inside-the-park homer to center field.
Kenzie Stolmeier tagged Emerald Ridge’s only hit — a one-out double in the third.
Jaguars sophomore Alanna Wirtala was fantastic, albeit in a loss. She countered Wright’s gem with her own complete game, featuring just two hits and one run with 11 strikeouts.
Still, Emerald Ridge moves to the consolation ladder and remains in contention for a third-place finish. The Jaguars meet No. 15 Hanford in a loser-out meeting in Richland at 3 p.m.
No. 3 Skyview 2, No. 14 Olympia 0
Sophomore starter Maddie Milhorn tossed a complete-game two-hitter, a dominant shutout of Olympia in Friday’s first-round contest.
Skyview’s Kylie Lester layered a two-run double in the third inning, the Storm’s only production behind Milhorn’s devastating day.
Milhorn walked one and struck out 11. She retired 10 of her last 11 batters, including the game-ending groundout to Lester at third base.
Olympia ace and Iowa State commit Sami Potvin tossed a complete game, the two-run double her only blemish in an otherwise stellar start. Potvin walked one and struck out eight, surrendering four hits. At the plate, she drew Milhorn’s lone issued walk.
The Bears move to a consolation bracket, still possessing the chance to grab third place on Saturday. Olympia meets No. 11 Battle Ground in a loser-out meeting at 3 p.m. in Richland.
No. 5 Puyallup 7, No. 12 Eastmont 0
Vikings senior Lauryn Krick tossed a three-hit, complete-game shutout, and Puyallup used a six-run fifth inning to topple Eastmont in the opening round.
Sophomore Paisley Jamison ended a scoreless tie with a fifth-inning single, which scored Ella Williams and gave the Vikings a 1-0 lead.
Puyallup’s next four batters reached — two singles, two walks — and scored six runs before the frame ended. Right fielder Jayleen Johnston’s two-out bunt punctuated the frame, when two more runs came home on a fielding error.
Krick was dominant in the circle, walking one and striking out nine. No Eastmont hitter mustered an extra-base hit, limited to three scattered singles.
Puyallup meets No. 4 Richland in a 4A quarterfinal at 5 p.m. Friday evening.
No. 8 Rogers 9, No. 9 Kamiak 3
Junior outfielder Sydney Sasaki’s fifth-inning, two-run single was the eventual game winner in Rogers’ first-round win over Kamiak.
Sasaki’s game-winner broke a late, 3-3 tie before Rogers pounced for four insurance runs in the sixth inning.
Rams starter Keagan Norfleet tossed a four-hit complete game, allowing three runs with two walks and five strikeouts.
Sasaki posted a game-high three hits and four RBI; Raygun Klippert scored a game-best three runs.
Rogers meets top-seed Jackson in the 4A quarterfinals Friday evening at 5 p.m.
3A
QUARTERFINALS
No. 1 Peninsula 8, No. 9 Gig Harbor 0
Seahawks ace Alli Kimball delivered another brilliant performance — a three-hit, complete-game shutout over her crosstown rival to lift Peninsula over Gig Harbor and into the 3A semifinals.
Peninsula piled runs in five of seven innings, consistent run support while Kimball cruised through the Tides. She walked none and struck out a dozen, her three surrendered hits all singles.
Malia Coit gave the Seahawks a near-instant lead with a run-scoring groundout in the first, and Peninsula played add-on all evening. Hailey Ruckle drove home a run in the second on a sacrifice fly, and Mira Sonnen later scored in the inning on a misplayed fly ball to right field.
Ava Miranda tacked on another Peninsula sac fly in the fifth inning, and Glory Estabrook’s sixth-inning double plated Ruckle and provided Kimball insurance.
Sophia Hooper dumped an RBI single to center field in the seventh, extending Peninsula’s lead to eight.
The Seahawks advance to the bracket’s final four, and will play for a trip to the state title. Peninsula meets either No. 5 Roosevelt or No. 4 Bonney Lake in a Saturday semifinal at 10 a.m. in Lacey.
Gig Harbor moves to a consolation ladder and can still secure a third-place finish.
No. 5 Roosevelt 7, No. 4 Bonney Lake 3
Senior starter Stephanie Young tossed a three-run complete game, a performance that propelled the Roughriders over Bonney Lake in Friday night’s quarterfinals.
Roosevelt pounced for a five-run lead in the opening frames and staved off scattered runs by the Panthers.
Bonney Lake’s Isabella Jones notched a 2-for-3 game with an RBI, but Young never surrendered more than a single Panthers run in any inning and limited major damage.
Roosevelt moves to Saturday’s state semifinals and meets top-ranked Peninsula at 10 a.m. in Lacey.
FIRST ROUND
No. 4 Bonney Lake 16, No. 20 Stanwood 0
Bella Carazo shoved a five-inning no-hitter — the ace’s second no-no this season — and Bonney Lake’s unrelenting offense ran away with 16 runs.
Stanwood put one base runner aboard in the third inning, when Taylor Almanza reached on a fielding error. Otherwise, Carazo was perfect, who whiffed 10 and walked none.
Bonney Lake took advantage of seven Stanwood errors; six Panthers drove in runs.
Bonney Lake’s Kyla Cross swatted three hits and scored four runs; she and Isabella Jones tallied a game-high three RBI.
The Panthers meet No. 5 Roosevelt at 3:30 p.m. in the 3A quarterfinals in Lacey.
No. 1 Peninsula 9, No. 16 Juanita 1
Alli Kimball delivered another dazzling performance — a two-hit complete game in Peninsula’s first-round victory over Juanita.
Peninsula’s ace whiffed a dozen Ravens hitters and issued no walks. Her two-hitter featured a lone, unearned run scored on a fifth-inning infield error.
Meanwhile, the top-seed Seahawks delivered top-to-bottom offensive production. All nine Peninsula hitters reached base and four notched multi-hit games, and Kimball helped her own cause most, going 2-for-2 with a walk.
Kimball’s fourth-inning home run to center plated three, good for a game-high in RBI.
Peninsula jumped to an early, 2-0 lead when Malia Coit launched a two-run homer in the first; that was enough for Kimball.
The Seahawks advance to a rivalry meeting with No. 9 Gig Harbor in the 3A quarterfinals. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
No. 9 Gig Harbor 17, No. 8 Cascade 8
Tides sophomore Gracie Carey launched two home runs, the standout performance in Gig Harbor’s slugfest win over Cascade.
Gig Harbor’s left fielder lifted a two-run shot to center field in the second inning and homered again to left in the fifth, which plated two more. Carey finished 4-for-5 with three runs and six RBI, all game-bests.
The Tides exploded for 19 runs and 17 hits; Daniel Biehl, Maddy DeClements (two doubles), and Riley Peschek added three hits apiece.
Gig Harbor advances to a crosstown-rivalry meeting with Peninsula in the 3A quarterfinals.
No. 3 Liberty 11, No. 19 Timberline 1 (5)
Freshman starter Avery Huh tossed a five-inning complete game, and Liberty run-ruled Timberline behind a six-run second inning.
The Patriots loaded the bases twice in their most productive frame and damaged Timberline’s hope with four hits and three walks. Liberty’s Kaila Su plated two runs on an infield single, and Elyse McMullin later cleared the bases with a two-out, three-run double that pushed Liberty’s lead to six.
Huh allowed just one hit and one run across five innings, walking one and striking out five.
Timberline’s Tori Trotter drove home the Blazers’ only run in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly to left.
Liberty moves to the state quarterfinals later Friday and Timberline moves to a loser-out, consolation ladder vs. No. 6 Bishop Blanchet at 1:30 p.m.
2A
QUARTERFINALS
No. 13 Enumclaw 8, No. 12 Olympic 6
In a battle of Cinderellas, Enumclaw’s story lives on another day.
The Hornets buzzed past Olympic in Friday night’s state quarterfinal and will meet top-ranked North Kitsap in tomorrow’s 2A semifinal in Selah.
Enumclaw’s Kaylee Henry opened the game in the circle and Alyssa Harris went the final six innings, the latter striking out six and walking two. Harris allowed four runs, but Enumclaw jumped to a second-inning lead and never trailed again.
Freshman Tatum Sauve roped a two-run double to center field in the second, which gave Enumclaw the decisive lead.
Eight hornets logged base hits and five drove in runs; Sauve and Taylor Schneider drove in two runs apiece.
Olympic rallied two runs in the seventh before Harris slammed the door with the tying runs aboard.
Enumclaw upset No. 4 Selah earlier Friday, 4-0, to advance. Olympic pulled off an adjacent upset, a rout of No. 5 Othello, 11-3, to meet the Hornets in the quarterfinals.
FIRST ROUND
No. 13 Enumclaw 4, No. 4 Selah 0
It was set up perfectly for Selah — the tournament’s host and a top-four seed. But Enumclaw’s Alyssa Harris denied the Vikings the chance for a title, twirling a complete-game shutout to push Enumclaw into Friday’s state quarterfinals.
Selah hitters mustered three total hits, none of which went for extra bases. Harris struck out 14 and walked none.
Bella Aubrey and Taylor Schenider launched third- and fifth-inning solo homers, respectively, though each blast was enough run support for Harris on its own.
Alyssa Neal tacked on an RBI single in the third inning and Dakota Rist added a seventh-inning sacrifice fly in Enumclaw’s win.
Neal tallied a game-high three hits; Enumclaw out-hit Selah 13-3.
The Hornets meet No. 12 Olympic in the state quarterfinals. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Olympic upset No. 5 Othello in the first round, 11-3, to advance.
No. 10 Aberdeen 3, No. 7 Orting 1
Senior shortstop Maddie Gore’s two-run homer in the fifth inning snapped a shutout and pushed Aberdeen over Orting in Friday’s first round.
Bobcats starter Lilly Camp, a sophomore, twirled a complete game and struck out 12, allowing a single unearned run in the fourth inning. She walked one and retired the last eight Cardinals faced to seal Friday’s win.
Orting scored first when a throwing error on a double-steal attempt sailed wide. Catcher Miken Jacobsen scooted home.
Jacobsen doubled earlier in the inning, Orting’s only extra-base hit. Camp held the Cardinals to four total hits and issued a single walk; Camp also plunked Orting’s Katie Arnett in the fourth inning.
But Aberdeen’s late rally in the fifth and sixth innings pushed the Bobcats into the quarterfinals later Friday, their opponent undetermined.
Behind Orting ace Kaylee Gresko 0-2, right fielder Scotlyn Lecompte ripped a one-out, fifth-inning double to left field. Then came Gore’s game-winning home run, a blast to dead center.
Shortstop Zoe Vessey tripled in the sixth inning and scored on a subsequent RBI single by Lecompte, good for an insurance run. The latter finished 3-for-3, the only three-hit performance in the contest.
Orting moves to a loser-out bracket. Now out of title contention, the Cardinals can still take home a third-place trophy. That quest begins later Friday at 1:30 p.m., also an undetermined opponent.
No. 2 Sedro-Woolley 4, No. 15 Fife 3 (9)
Rylan Kononen provided the fireworks — a walk-off double in the ninth inning to help two-seed Sedro-Woolley survive Fife in the bracket’s first round.
The Trojans nearly completed the upset, but Kononen’s heroics have Sedro-Woolley dancing into the 2A quarterfinals. Freshman starter Kasandra Gonzalez tossed a nine-inning complete game and whiffed 13, a crucial performance that extended the game and allowed for the walk-off.
Fife’s Madison Walls was stellar in 8 1/3 innings, surrendering three runs (two earned) to one of the state’s top lineups. She walked one and struck out 11 on 140 total pitches.
The Trojans move to a consolation ladder and meet familiar No. 7 Orting in a loser-out contest at 1:30 p.m. in Selah.
This story will be updated.
