Softball now. The Washington 2A high school softball tournament experience for this Cedarcrest High School squad was certainly a memorable one, as this Red Wolve team showed absolutely no quit the entire time they were in Selah. And although their run yesterday ended in walk-off heartbreak, these girls come home to the lower Valley holding their heads high as they represented their community very well these past couple of days on the east side of the Cascades.
Cedarcrest opened their game yesterday with Othello at Carlon Park in Selah on a very down note, spotting the Huskies seven first-inning runs. But like this whole tournament, these Red Wolves didn’t give up, they didn’t give in. They fought back, and were able to tie this thing up before having their dreams dashed on a game-winning walk-off homer by the Huskies in the 9-7 loss.
Rachel Krivanek hit her third homer in as many games to power Cedarcrest, but Emi Pruneda was the heroine for Othello, hitting the two-run shot to close out the game – and the Red Wolves’ season.
As noted, the Huskies opened up with seven first-inning runs. Key to that onslaught were two things – one, a homer by Destinee Franco and a play which led to two Cedarcrest errors – and two more Othello runs. Errors were not the friend of the Red Wolves in this tournament, as they had quite a few of them in it. But even though this CHS team was not sitting pretty after the first inning, they didn’t flinch. They got right to work.
In the second inning, Abby Combs opened the frame with a walk, and after Gabbi Harrington grounded out, Jo Krivanek was hit by a pitch. This brough up Peyton Hayes, and she saw a different pitcher, as Othello, perhaps sensing their ace, Amarie Guzman, was running into trouble, inexplicably decided to take her out and insert their “B” pitcher, Persayis Garza, she of the high ERA we mentioned in our game preview yesterday. Krivanek went to second on a stolen base attempt which the Othello catcher didn’t challenge, so it was scored defensive indifference. So what? Hayes didn’t care and on the next pitch lined a single into center scoring the two baserunners and the Red Wolves were off and running.
The third saw more damage as Cedarcrest continued to pound away. Katie Sewell led off the frame with a single and that was followed by the Rachel Krivanek blast, as she finished out her high school career on a real high note with three homers in three games. Good stuff. CHS then got two quick outs but mounted another rally, with Jo Krivanek reaching on a defensive error by Othello’s top hitter, Cam McDonald, and a walk to Hayes, which during that at-bat saw a pair of wild pitches that allowed Jo to move to third. But Jo decided she would make a break for home, and the Huskies were wise to what was taking place and they nailed her at the plate ending the frame. Oh well. There was more to come.
The fourth was wash, rinse, repeat, as CHS again clawed away. Riley Warden led it off with a walk, not a good idea if you are Garza by any means. Why? Well, Warden’s feet got to work again stealing another base, and this set up Kaylee Hulse, who reached on another Othello error, putting runners at the corners with none out for Maddie Knowles, who was due to break out after having some down performances offensively in the Friday games at state. She, however, flew out to left field so things remained kosher but with one out. Sewell then singled to load the bases setting up Rachel, who walked to move everyone up 90 feet and score the Montana State-Billings bound Warden. Then these Red Wolves did something absolutely daring, and it worked. A triple-steal. A what? Triple-steal? Yes. And it was headlined by a steal of home by Hulse. Fantastic play ladies. Harrington then grounded out to end the inning but hey, these girls continued to show no quit, and that steal was exhibit A.
The fifth came up, and CHS finished the job scoring a run to tie things. With one out, after Jo Krivanek flied out to center, Hayes reached on an error by Othello and that was followed by Warden doing the same. As Scooby-Doo would say, if you are the Huskies, “Ruh-roh”. Warden darted to second, but the catcher decided not to challenge it, so another defensive indifference, seemingly a sign that Othello was starting to get resigned to the likelihood Cedarcrest was going to leave them in the dust. But that didn’t happen. Hulse walked to load the bases for Knowles. In the at-bat, Franco, who was pitching, threw a wild one allowing Hayes to score and tie the game. So there was a base open, but before any decision could be made, there was more. CHS attempted a double steal with the right people on both ends of it – the speedy Warden in front and Hulse in back. But surprisingly, Warden was nailed at home in a rundown keeping the score tied. Knowles then lined out to end the frame. But the Red Wolves were level. They weren’t able to get much in the sixth. Then the seventh came about.
CHS in their seventh again could not get anything going, and that opened it up for Othello. With the potent McDonald leading it off, who as we told you yesterday came into the state tournament hitting better than .600 with five homers. She singled to lead off the frame, and after Garza popped up, up came Pruneda. There was a wild pitch in the sequence allowing McDonald to get into scoring position, only amping up the pressure on Red Wolve ace Emma Duke. On a 1-1 pitch Pruneda crushed the ball to center field and it cleared the fence. Darn.
Franco got the win in relief allowing one unearned run on two hits in 3 2/3 innings, walking one and striking out two. Pruneda led Othello, with the homer headlining a 3-3 effort. McDonald was her old self, going 2-3 with two runs scored and an RBI while for Cedarcrest, Sewell, Hayes and Rachel Krivanek all had two hits, headlined by Rachel’s homer. And Duke battled hard in the circle. She went the distance, with only three of the nine runs she allowed being earned due to three CHS errors, walking four and striking out three.
What a season it was for this Red Wolves team, as they finished with a tie for seventh place in the tournament, equaling their finish from 2016’s tournament, the last time they won games in the event at Carlon Park. This offseason will see significant retooling, as many of the team’s top hitters and leaders leave with graduation, requiring younger players such as Harrington and Combs to have to become the big names for this program. They ended the year 16-10.
Time for the youth scores. GameChanger and TeamManager bring you the highlights.
Northwest Grapettes 14U 17, Washington Thunder 0: In East Wenatchee at the NSA’s Sterling Invite, the Bellevue-based Grapettes took care of the eastern Washington team at Sterling Complex. Mount Si’s Bella Scappini had no official at-bats but was hit by a pitch, drove in a run and scored a second for NWG.
Snohomish Shock 12U 13, Mill Creek Mayhem 0: The Shock no-hit their Snohomish County rivals in their Sterling Invite tournament opener at Walla Walla Point Park in downtown Wenatchee. Tolt Middle School’s Olivia Lowell was 0-1 with a run scored for the Shock.
SFC Spartans 14U 5, Washington Avengers “A” 2: Valley players led the way for the Sammamish team in their Wenatchee weekend-opening win, also at Sterling Complex. Twin Falls Middle School’s Jenna Nowak, from North Bend, was 2-2 with two runs scored, while Snoqualmie’s Mary Salmon, who attends St. Louise School in Bellevue, pitched 2 2/3 innings allowing a hit, walking two and striking out three. Mount Si High School freshman Clara Connor doubled, driving in two runs and scoring a third herself, and worked the final 1 1/3 innings of the four-inning game called early due to time limits, allowing two runs on three hits walking one.
Washington Ladyhawks Mick 10, Absolute Blast 14U Rafferty 7: Cedarcrest assistant coach Andy Rafferty was home yesterday coaching his Blast as they played a tuneup at Big Rock Park in Duvall with the Puyallup-based ‘Hawks. Future Red Wolve Josie Fiala led the way going 2-4 with a triple, driving in a run and scoring a second, as AbB fell to the visiting squad. Fellow future Red Wolve Lola Fryc was 0-2, as was Mount Si High School freshman Georgia Dennis. Dennis took the loss in the circle for AbB, allowing what became a game-winning bases-clearing triple in the bottom of the seventh inning by the Hawks. She allowed four runs on three hits in her one inning of work walking three.
Northwest Grapettes 14U 7, Washington Avengers “B” 3: Scappini, a MSHS freshman, was 1-2 with a run scored and also pitched an inning in relief, which went well without any stats of note. She received no decision as the Grapettes finished the day 2-0.
Snohomish Shock 12U 8, Flame Fastpitch 0: Lowell was 0-3 for the Shock as they handled the Bellevue-based Flame, a program that features a good number of Valley players at all age levels. We do not know if there are any Valley players, though, on this particular Flame squad.
Lady Rebels 10, SFC Spartans 14U 1: The Spartans were limited to just five hits in their nightcap loss at Sterling last night to the eastern Washington team. Morgan Ruffin, from Chief Kanim Middle School in Fall City, was 1-1 with a run. Also with hits in the game were Salmon, Nowak, Snoqualmie Middle School’s MacCaden Gillespie and Mount Si HS freshman Sam Santo. Also on the team are Duvall’s Izzy Ojeda, Chief Kanim’s Rainey Carbary and half a dozen young ladies from Sammamish: Beaver Lake Middle School’s C.J. Jones and Hannah Jucht, Pine Lake Middle School’s Bri Fitchett and Victoria Walker, Inglewood Middle School’s Emily Beckerle, and Eastlake High School’s Gwen Peterson. They will continue play in the event today.
Snoqualmie Valley Sports Journal 