NAPAVINE — Napavine needed two wins to secure the Central 2B League title and Abbi Music made sure that happened here on Friday.
Music struck out 22 batters in the two games combined as Napavine swept Morton-White Pass in a C2BL doubleheader.
It is the first league title for Napavine. MWP’s losses put the Timberwolves in ninth in league and just outside of qualifying for the District 4 2B Softball Tournament.
“League champs was obviously a goal of ours at the beginning of the season. We sat down when it was raining for the first three straight weeks,” Napavine coach Chad Williams said. “We did a lot of talking, we did set some goals. League champs was certainly one of them, but I wouldn’t say it’s our number one goal, but it is now definitely one of the things we can check off our list.”
In Game 1, the Tigers collected 12 hits in 10-2 win. Music was 2 for 3 with two doubles, two runs and two walks. Cortney Oster was 2 for 4 with a triple, double and three RBIs and Kaiya Larson was 2 for 3 with a home run, double and three RBIs.
Music had 13 K’s in the circle and allowed just two runs on five hits.
Emmalee Hazen hit a solo home run and Taylor Nilius had a hit and an RBI for MWP.
Music threw a no-hitter with 13 strikeouts in Game 2, a 6-1 Napavine victory.
Music was 2 for 3 at the plate with a triple, double and an RBI. Oster was 2 for 3 with an RBI and Maddie Thompson added a double, run and an RBI.
For the Lady Timberwolves, they finish their league schedule 6-10 and tied for Kalama for eighth. Kalama won 5-4 on March 29 to earn the tiebreaker and earn the final spot into the district tournament.
“I thought we played well against probably the best pitcher in the state. We battled, it took us a couple innings to get going but I thought we put the ball in play a little bit,” MWP coach Rob Hazen said. “6-1 ballgame against a team that is probably going to play for the state title with Pe Ell-Willapa Valley right there in the mix. I thought we played well overall, we’ve improved all year.”
MWP has two non-league games remaining against Kittitas and Cle Elum on Wednesday. Hazen was displeased with the new format to qualify for the district tournament.
“Toledo made it, we 10-runned them, they’re a seven. Winlock, we beat, they’re a six and Kalama we had, lost it right at the end and they’re going as the eight,” Hazen said. “I think we’re better than three of the teams that got in. That’s why I don’t like this format.”
The Timberwolves have no seniors on the team, so the future looks bright for MWP next season.
“We’re not losing anybody, we should be better next year. Two freshman pitchers played as eighth graders last year that pitched,” Hazen said. “They already have two years under their belts so they’re going to be that much better next year as sophomores and going on to be juniors and seniors, that’s going to help us.”
Napavine has six seniors that have been playing together since freshman year, and the league title is a culmination of their hard work over the last four years.
“It feels pretty great. Coming out on top is a big deal because a lot of the teams end up finishing with a trophy at state every single year,” said Thompson, a senior infielder. “We’ve progressed throughout the season but like I said, we can’t flatline now. We just have to move onto the next.”
Napavine (16-2, 15-1) has two non-league games next week, hosting La Center on Monday before traveling to Castle Rock on Wednesday.
Toledo, Tenino Split Doubleheader
TOLEDO — Toledo won the first game 15-5 in five innings, but Tenino battled back and won 23-21 in the second inning to salvage a split in a non-league softball doubleheader here on Friday.
In Game 1, Toledo’s Haleigh Holmes struck out eight batters and had two hits at the plate.
Kyleigh Holmes was 3 for 5 with a triple and Amya Thomassom had three hits for the Indians.
Toledo scored six runs in each the second and fifth inning to end the game in five innings.
Game 2 had 44 hits between the two teams. Genevive Kalista and Andrea Jones each had inside the park home runs. Corianne King and Gracie Madill each added two hits for Toledo.
Toledo (9-9, 8-8) wraps up the regular season on Saturday, May 12, hosting La Salle in a non-league doubleheader. Tenino (5-11, 0-7) travels to Puyallup to play Chief Leschi on Tuesday.
