Rain and long layoffs from the playing field is never a blueprint for fastpitch success.
Kentwood found out on Friday evening just how much of an effect a long layoff can have. The Conquerors stumbled out of the blocks, then were handcuffed by Emerald Ridge ace Alexa Derrick, falling to the Jaguars 7-2 in the South Puget Sound League championship game at Service Ball Fields in Kent.
“It’s tough when you’ve been off for what? Almost two weeks?” said Kentwood coach Jason Wisor. “We make mistakes and usually we’re able to find a way back into the game. Today, we just didn’t do it.”
The Conquerors (16-4) committed six errors and also were caught looking at third strikes six times. Meanwhile, outside of a two-run second inning, Derrick was in command. The hard-throwing Emerald Ridge (18-0) righthander struck out 10 Kentwood batters and scattered five hits to pick up the win.
With the loss, the Conquerors will take the SPSL’s No. 2 seed to next weekend’s West Central District tournament, slated for May 22-23 at Sprinker Recreation Center in Spanaway. The top six teams from the 16-team tournament advance to state.
Kentwood hasn’t qualified for state since 2006.
“We want to do something at state,” said Kentwood first baseman Jessica Glenn. “We want to get there and make our mark.”
On Friday, the only mark Kentwood, the SPSL North champions, made on Derrick came with two outs in the third inning. Liane Dehart got the rally going with a bunt single. Glenn followed with a deep run-scoring single to right field, cutting Emerald Ridge’s lead to 2-1. Alex Lucas followed with a triple of her own in the exact same spot, scoring Glenn and tying the game 2-2.
Things, however, came unraveled on the Conquerors in the fourth inning. Pitcher Kayla Evans retired the first two batters, then was bit by a pair of errors resulting in two Emerald Ridge runs.
With a 4-2 lead in her back pocket, Derrick simply got tougher. She didn’t allow another Kentwood runner to get past second base the rest of the night.
Emerald Ridge added one more run in the fifth and two in the sixth to seal the victory.
“We came out kind of nervous and it obviously was not our best game,” lamented Glenn, who went 2-for-2 with an RBI. “As long as we get it out now. I think we all were just too amped up.”
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