Missed opportunities proved to be the name of the game for the Kentlake High fastpitch team on Saturday a rain-shortened Class 4A state tournament at South End Recreation Area in Tacoma.
The Falcons stranded 19 runners, including leaving the bases loaded in both games and found themselves out of the running for a trophy after a 4-3 loss to defending champion Kelso and a 5-3 defeat at the hands of Richland.
“It’s a frustrating day,” said Kentlake coach Greg Kaas. “We weren’t very opportunistic today, both defensively and at the plate. We’ve been so opportunistic all year … it just didn’t happen today.”
In the first game, Kelso scored two runs in the top of the second, but Kentlake answered in the bottom half when Kellie Nielsen hit a single to center field, Hannah Sauget laid down a sacrifice bunt followed by Lexi Engman walking and Erin Crowley and Erika Smyth ripping back-to-back singles to tie the game 2-2.
It was in the top of the sixth that the Hilanders put away the Falcons, scoring two runs with two outs, going ahead for good.
Against Richland, Kentlake jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Jessie Richardson drove in Crowley, but Richland tied it up when shortstop Maddie Chambers drove the ball to the center field fence for an RBI double.
The bottom of the fifth, however, was the beginning of the end of Kentlake’s season when Richland scored three runs to break the game open and take a 5-2 lead.
Despite an effort to rally in the top of the seventh, the Falcons ran out of steam after Crowley ripped the first pitch of the inning to the center field fence for a triple. Smyth drove her in, but the Hilanders retired the next three Falcon batters to send Kentlake home.
“One thing I love about these kids is they have a never-say-die attitude,” Kaas said. “That type of attitude will take you far, not just in fastpitch, but in life.”
Kaas said that despite the fact the girls didn’t achieve the goal of getting four banners – winning the SPSL North, league and district titles were crossed off but they fell short of a state trophy – he “had a blast” coaching this group.
“In all my years of coaching … this team has reached its potential,” he said. “There’s not a lot of groups you can say that about. They’ve been fun.”
Kentlake will lose two players to graduation – pitcher Nikole Weber and third baseman Brooke Evans – but will return the rest of its squad next year for another deep playoff run.
“We’re going to reload,” Kaas said. “We’re not going to rebuild. We’re going to reload.”
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