Rain and long layoffs from the playing field is never a blueprint for fastpitch success.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Kentwood hasn’t qualified for state since 2006.<\/p>\n
“We want to do something at state,” said Kentwood first baseman Jessica Glenn. “We want to get there and make our mark.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Emerald Ridge added one more run in the fifth and two in the sixth to seal the victory.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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