Ignited by an eight-run bottom of the sixth inning, Napavine turned a two-run cushion with an inning to go into a 14-4 run-rule C2BL softball triumph over Toutle Lake on Thursday night at home.
“We just finally got to their kid,” Tigers head coach Josh Fay said. “Right now, the Napavine M.O. is swing the bats late and I’d like to make it swing the bats early.”
The wins keep stacking for Napavine (5-1, 1-0 C2BL), victors of five straight and the offense continues to soar, averaging a staggering 15 runs per game over the streak. The turning point game off the bat of Grace Pancake.
After back-to-back singles from Clara Fay and Hayden Kaut, Pancake roped a fly ball to center field that dropped and allowed all three to score on an inside-the-park three-run homer to give the Tigers a 5-3 lead.
“That kind of flipped the momentum for us,” Fay stated. “That probably gave us some life and helped Hannah (Fay) out, being comfortable pitching.”
Kaut and Clara Fay ripped back-to-back RBI triples to kick off the eight-run frame. Lyla Kirkpatrick drove in two on a single and Hannah Fay ended the game with a two-run double. Maya Kunkel and Grace Gall also had RBIs in the inning.
Hannah Fay danced around four earned runs and five walks to earn the win in the circle for the Tigers. The right-hander recorded eight strikeouts in six innings of work. Pancake drove in four total runs and seven hitters notched at least two hits.
