It sounds easy enough, win the first two games at the West Central District fastpitch tournament at Sprinker Recreation Center in Spanaway, earn a spot at the state championships.
Kentlake found a way to do it while Tahoma and Kentwood split their first round games but Kentridge couldn’t make it out of the first day.
To start off the day Kentlake put Emerald Ridge away 7-1 then faced its second come from behind victory in the past week when it beat Wilson in dramatic fashion in the bottom of the eighth.
Brooke Evans, the Falcons SPSL All-League first teamer at third base, stepped into the batters box with the winning run in Jessie Richardson on third base.
“I was a little nervous,” Evans said. “I took a deep breath and relaxed. I was just trying to find a gap.”
She ripped the ball down the third base line and Richardson sprinted toward home, beating the throw, to score and giving the Falcons the 7-6 victory in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Evans, a senior, said it meant so much to her to get back to state after the Falcons came up short in 2009.
“I’ve been on varsity for four years,” she said. “I’ve been waiting for this chance. I’m looking forward to state. I think we’re going to do well.”
Kentlake had to play catch up much of the game after Wilson jumped out to a 2-0 lead when Taylor Gomsrud, Alexa Olague and Taylor Clark hit a trio of consecutive doubles.
It was the bottom of the fifth that set up the win for the Falcons as they turned the tables on the Rams.
Down 4-2, Libby Riehl started it off with a single to center field, Evans put another single into the outfield and Kellie Nielsen bunted them over.
With two outs, Brittany Styger ripped a single up the middle, driving in Ashley Buch then Lexi Engman followed that up with a triple to deep center field that drove in two runs.
Junior center fielder Erin Crowley finished the scoring in the inning with a squeeze bunt that drove in Engman.
Crowley finished the game 5-for-5, Evans was 3-for-5 while Riehl was 3-for-4.
“This team is more unified,” Evans said. “We’re not used to (coming from behind) … but we were confident the whole time.”
Kentlake Coach Greg Kaas said this is representative of the Falcons winning tradition as they have made it to the district semi-finals in six of the last seven years.
“I love the resiliency of these kids,” Kaas said. “We have come so far as a team.”
IN OTHER GAMES:
* Tahoma beat Central Kitsap 7-4 in its opening round game but struggled offensively in the second game in a re-match with Puyallup, which beat them 8-3 May 14 in the SPSL semi-final game.
The Vikings beat the Bears 1-0.
Puyallup scored its lone run in the top of the fourth inning when Kylie McChesney when a throw to third base sailed past Kiley Dunn.
This is just the second time all year Tahoma has been shut out.
Tahoma takes on Emerald Ridge Tuesday morning. The Bears need two more wins to snag the fourth seed to the state tournament.
*Kentwood bounced back with a 7-1 victory over Bellarmine Prep after dropping the first game to Stadium 7-5.
The Conquerors mounted a rally in the seventh inning, scoring four runs against the Tigers, but couldn’t finish the come back in the first game.
Kentwood takes on South Kitsap Tuesday morning and must win two games to get back to state.
*Kentridge couldn’t get the bats going on Monday, losing 4-1 to Wilson then were dropped 14-3 by Emerald Ridge in a loser out match up in the afternoon.
