2B District Softball: Pirates Power Past Loggers in Semifinals

One big swing early on had the Pirates shifting their attack a little bit.

In the end, though, it didn’t make a ton of difference.

Adna scored 9 runs over the fourth and fifth innings and powered past Onalaska, 14-3, on Wednesday in the semifinals of the District 4 2B Softball Tournament at Fort Borst Park.

The win puts Adna back in the State 2B tournament for the ninth straight year, and sets up the second straight District 4 championship game between Adna and Toutle Lake.

On Wednesday evening, though, the Loggers — which lost 12-2 and 12-1 to Adna during the regular season — took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, courtesy of a towering 3-run homer to left field by McKenna Ulery.

“When that bomb went out … We’re down, 3-0, and anything can happen in district ball,” Adna coach Mike Raschke said. “Any time you play anybody in our league, it’s going to be tough. (Coach Ken Ulery’s) kids have been playing well. He’s done a good job with them.”

Adna quickly responded, notching 3 runs in the top of the second on a single from Cheyenne Gilbertson, a fielder’s choice that didn’t quite register an out, a pair of stolen bases, an error, a two-out bunt single from Katie Pine that scored a run, and an infield single from Kendra Stajduhar.

It was the first time this season the Pirates had resorted to small ball, according to Raschke.

“We’ve been getting some pretty good leads,” Raschke said. “So that’s probably the first game that we’ve actually played that much small ball, and it worked.”

Things stayed tied until the fourth, when Adna knocked five hits — including an RBI double from Stajduhar — and added another 5 runs. Five more hits and two Logger errors scored another 4 in the fifth, and Josey Sandrini’s RBI single highlighted a 2-run sixth that pushed the lead to 10 and closed things out early.

“They hit the ball right where we weren’t. I thought we played pretty defense, all in all,” Ulery said. “Dinks, dunks, and where we weren’t at, in the holes — it’s hard to defend that. The wheels come off a little bit here and there, and you have a couple errors, and it just adds on to it.”

Sam Rolfe worked the first five innings for Adna, striking out four without walking a batter and allowing five hits. Jenikka Poppe pitched a hitless fifth to seal the win.

Stajduhar and Gilbertson each had three hits for Adna, while Sandrini, Shanay Dotson, Lili Glover and Aubri Jimenez each had two hits.

Ulery went 2 for 3 for Onalaska.

Onalaska (15-8) will now face Pe Ell-Willapa Valley — with whom the Loggers split games during the regular season — in the consolation semifinals on Saturday at 1 p.m. The winner seals a spot at state, while the loser will play again at 3 p.m. for the fifth and final spot to state.

Adna (21-3) will take on Toutle Lake (20-2) on Saturday at 5 p.m. The defending State 2B champion Ducks beat Adna, 7-4 and 6-4, in Toutle during the regular season, though Adna beat the Ducks in last year’s District 4 championship game.

“We feel confident. I feel like they got two from us there, but we did not play our best ball and right now we’re playing our best ball,” Raschke said. “It’s going to be a good game.”

Semifinals

Toutle Lake 12, Napavine 2

The Tigers could only manage three hits and Toutle Lake reaped the benefits of several miscues as the Ducks defeated Napavine 12-2 in five innings of a District 4 2B Softball Tournament semifinal on Wednesday in Centralia.

The Ducks tacked on a run in the first and third innings with Madi Thompson answering by knocking in 2 runs for the Tigers in the fourth frame to knot things up.

Through the process of six hit batters, five walks, and three errors, the Ducks ran up the scoreboard, racking up 10 runs in the fifth inning to end things early.

Bailey Hockett and Sam Woodley were responsible for six of seven Toutle Lake hits, with Hockett going 4 for 5 and Woodley having a 2 for 3 performance for the Ducks.

"That's just not the way we wanted to come out and play a district game," Napavine coach Kadie Muller said. "The only thing we can do is forget about it and go after the next one. We've got some defensive bugs to work out, but I think we'll bounce back and be good."

The Tigers will face off with Morton-White Pass at 1 p.m. on Saturday in Centralia in a consolation semifinal.

Consolation Quarterfinals

MWP 14, North Beach 3

The Timberwolves hit three home runs and knocked Pacific 2B League champion North Beach out of the playoffs with a 14-3 consolation win Wednesday afternoon in Centralia.

Christine Robbins went 3 for 4 with two doubles, a solo home run in the third inning and 2 RBIs, Tatym Smathers went 3 for 4 with a double, a 2-run homer in the sixth inning and 4 RBIs, and Sharon Hazen went 2 for 4 with a solo homer to lead off the fifth inning.

Rebecca Loflin had three hits, and Annie Brown and Kylie Allen each added two hits for MWP, which scored in every inning and outscored the Hyaks 11-0 over the final three frames of the six-inning affair.

Taylor Brooks held North Beach to four hits and struck out eight for the Timberwolves (12-12), who face Napavine in the consolation semifinals at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Fort Borst Park.

Pe Ell-WV 18, Toledo 5

After blanking Ilwaco in four innings earlier on in the day, the Pe Ell-Willapa Valley Trojans used their momentum to cut things short with Toledo, knocking off the Indians, 18-5 in five innings of play in a loser-out District 4 consolation game at Centralia on Wednesday.

Savannah Skeen led the Titan offense, going 3 for 4 with 5 RBIs while Lacey Joner went 2 for 3 with a homer in the fourth frame. Lexie Brooks notched 3 RBIs and two doubles on a 2 for 3 performance while ace Dakota Brooks went 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs for PWV.

"We came to play today," Pe Ell-Willapa Valley coach Ken Olson said. "The kids were loose and I liked the way they just stayed with it."

Sidney Pollard went 2 for 3 with a triple and a double while Cheyenne Brooks was 2 for 2 for the Titans, whose defense allowed four hits and committed one error.

"We played two games, made one error and held the other teams to five hits, total," Olson said. "We had great pitching, solid defense, and good hitting. We just had the total combination today."

The Titans will face Onalaska in the consolation semifinals on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Centralia.

Second Round

MWP 10, Wahkiakum 3

Morton-White Pass took advantage of 10 walks and bumped Wahkiakum out of the District 4 2B Softball Tournament with a 10-3 win in Wednesday's second round in Centralia.

The Timberwolves broke the game open with 6 runs in the second inning, which was highlighted by a grand slam from Taylor Brooks.

Brooks finished with four hits, while Kylie Allen added two hits for the Timberwolves.

Wahkiakum's only runs came on a three-run homer from Tori Wegdahl in the third inning.

Pe Ell-WV 15, Ilwaco 0

The Pe Ell-Willapa Valley Titans cruised through the first consolation round of the District 4 tournament bracket, dropping the Ilwaco Fishermen 15-0 in four innings of work in Centralia on Wednesday.

Dakota Brooks stole the show for the Titans, striking out five and knocking two homers — a 2-run shot in the first frame and a 3-run home run in the third inning.

"Dakota pitched extremely well in this one," Pe Ell-Willapa Valley coach Ken Olson said. "It was good to see her hit some deep shots, as well. We had a great day at the plate."

Lexie Brooks also homered with a 2-run blast in the first inning. Sidney Pollard went 2 for 3 with a double for the Titans, and the PWV defense held Ilwaco to just one hit.