2A Softball: Braun Homers Twice in Win Bearcats’ Win Over Tigers

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The bats came alive for the Bearcats on Thursday, most of all for Roni Braun.

Braun hit two of W.F. West’s four home runs on the way to a 23-7 win over Evergreen 2A Conference rival Centralia at Borst Park.

Braun hit a two-run homer in the first, then added a three-run dinger deep over center field in the third, as the Bearcats opened up an early 7-0 lead.

Braun finished the game four for five with six RBIs and an intentional walk. She also had an RBI triple in the fifth inning.

“When Roni gets on, they come in bunches for her,” W.F. West coach Mike Keen said.

Kindra Davis and pitcher Ashlee Vadala also had home runs as part of the Bearcats’ 10-run seventh inning, with Davis connecting on a grand slam.

“This group has that capability, they really do,” Keen said. “We were clicking along pretty good.”

Vadala added, “That felt pretty good. … This year I’ve kind of struggled with my hitting, but I’ve been working on it.”

Vadala had three hits in six at-bats, with three RBIs. Davis was 4 for 6 with two doubles and a triple, totalling five RBIs. Right fielder Jordan Crawford was 3 for 4 on the day.

The Bearcats scored five in the fifth inning, with Crawford, Olivia Dean, Kyndra Haller and Kindra Davis all getting consecutive base hits.



Centralia trailed 13-2 entering the bottom of the fifth and were in danger of ending early in a mercy rule-shortened loss, but the Tigers responded with five hits and four runs to extend the game into the sixth inning. Mckenna Smith followed hits from Leticia Ramirez and Payton Pocklington with a three-run home run.

Pocklington finished 3 for 4 for the Tigers, with a double and two RBIs. Ramirez was 2 for 4 with one double. Smith also had an RBI double in the third for Centralia, going 2 for 4 on the day.

“We were an out away from sealing it early and we kind of lost focus a little bit,” Keen said. “That’s what we talked about out in the outfield after the game, is that you have to stay focused and wear your game face all the time.

“We had a couple of plays where a couple of infielders were a little tentative as to whose ball it is and we’ve gotta work on that,” said Keen. “If you think it’s yours, take it.”

Both teams finished the game with two errors. The Bearcats had 24 hits to the Tigers’ 10.

“Defensively we did okay,” Keen said. “There’s a couple things that we could do better. But those runs that [Centralia] scored weren’t a result of the defense.”

Vadala fanned six in six innings on the mound, before being replaced by Kim Frazier.

“We have really good chemistry out on the field and everyone kind of just knows how each other plays,” Vadala said.

W.F. West remains undefeated at 13-0, with a 5-0 record in league play. The Bearcats will play Tumwater, the current second-place team in the EvCo, on Friday.

Centralia falls to 1-12 overall and 1-5 in the league. The Tigers host Fort Vancouver on May 2 in nonleague action.