The Bearcats got hot right from the start here in their first game of the season on Wednesday and didn’t cool down until it was time to put the field to bed as they defeated North Thurston 13-1 in a five inning non-league softball game.
W.F. West posted three runs in the first, five in the second and two runs in each the third and fourth innings to stretch out a lead of a dozen runs. North Thurston scored their lone run in the third inning and scratched out just four hits while committing two errors.
The Bearcats, on the other hand, played error free softball and knocked 10 base hits on the day.
“Our pitcher had 12 strikeouts, too, so that was nice,” said W.F. West coach Caty Lieseke.
Kamy Dacus toed the slab for the Bearcats all game long and spun a dozen strikeouts while allowing just one run.
Dacus, the only freshman on the team, also drove in three runs to help herself out in her very first time out on the varsity diamond.
“We’re excited about what we saw from her today. Just the determination and the focus that she brought,” Lieseke said.
Ashlyn Whalen got things started for the Bearcats when she rocked a 3-run home run as the third batter of the game for her team. Taylor Barker was 2-3 at the plate and Annika Waring got on base each time she came to the plate.
“We had five extra base hits so we were taking good swings at every spot in the lineup,” said Lieseke.
W.F. West (1-0) will play at Kelso on Thursday at 4 p.m. in a non-league game.
Cardinals Curdle Toledo on Opening Day
WINLOCK — A five-run fourth inning by the Cardinals here on Wednesday was enough to push Toledo away for good as the home team won their non-league softball matchup 11-1 in five innings.
Jenna Jones went the abbreviated distance for Winlock and gave up just the one run while striking out 10 batters. She also added three hits and four RBI’s to charge up the offense.
“She was kind of our leader,” said Winlock coach Chantel Nelson.
Karlie Jones and Sabrena Barragan each added a hit each for the Cardinals.
Nelson was also pleased with her team’s error-free defensive performance, including the play of a freshman at the hot corner in her first varsity game.
“I’d like to give some props to Maia Chaney. She’s a freshman and she’s new to the sport but we slotted her into third base and she filled a hole for us,” said Nelson.
Nelson, who has a roster full of underclassmen and middle schoolers, was enthused with her team’s ability to hit the ground running in their first game of the season.
“Usually when we play Toledo that’s the team that my girls always want to beat. The last two seasons we’ve split out wins and losses with them so to come out like that, I was really happy. We just came out strong,” Nelson explained. “I truly feel that if we come out like that all season then we are going to have a successful season.”
Winlock (1-0) will play at Napavine on Friday in a Central 2B League game.
Note: Morton-White Pass softball is leading Mossyrock 12-2 in the top of the fourth of a non-league game that began on Wednesday in Morton. That game was postponed due to rain and a makeup date has not been confirmed.
Hailey Brooks was 3-3 at the plate while holding down the centerfield position and Emmalee Hazen walloped a solo homerun. Jaiden Linder was taking care of the pitching duties for the Timberwolves.
