State Constricts Tournament To A One-Day Endurance Test
AA/A fastpitch
The State AA/A high school fastpitch softball marathon has become a one-day sprint.
The 16 teams that expected to play in Tacoma last Friday and Saturday are gathering in Yakima today to play a one-day tournament.
“It’s kind of a disadvantage for everybody,” West Valley coach Steve Kent said. “If you have two good pitchers, like East Valley (Rebecca Triplett and Tara DaCorte), you’re in better shape.”
Kent believes that is a disadvantage for his team because the Eagles’ No. 2 pitcher, Gabby McClintock, only has thrown about 15 innings.
“Darcy Sohn has been carrying the load,” he said. “That’s our strength, when she’s out there and Gabby is at shortstop. If we’re winning by a lot or losing by a lot, we have to get her out and save her. It’s really not a good thing for us, frankly.”
If the Eagles have an advantage, it’s the fact they have been to state four straight years.
“The newness of going to state has worn off,” Kent said. “The business of softball is all they’re worried about.”
He also said his girls have handled the uncertainty of the tournament better than he.
However, it has been a hassle for his three seniors, who have final exams this week, senior brunch on Friday and graduation this weekend.
Another advantage for WV is Richiah Boxley. The junior first baseman leads the team in hitting - and was going to be hitting the road this week. However, she changed her travel plans to include Yakima.
The Eagles are in a tough bracket. They open with Liberty of Issaquah, a good team with a deceptive 16-6 record. Their second game is against undefeated Meadowdale or Capital. Capital has lost only once this year, in a seeding game that knocked the team to a second seed, and has beaten WV in each of the last three state tournaments.
Colville will play Monroe, which had an 11-11 record. East Valley faces Othello in its opener.
“You can play 28 innings, or 35 if you get in the losers bracket,” Kent said. “That’s tough. It’s more of a survival issue than who has best team. Throw in the fact it may rain and get windy. We’ll just have to show up and wait and see. It’s more of an endurance thing now.”
The championship game and the two consolation bracket games to determine co-third place teams are at 7:45 tonight.
, DataTimes