Fastpitch: SHS falls to Riders, rebounds with wins

Sequim produced a five-run fourth inning to catch up to Port Angeles only to see the Roughriders’ bats break the game back open late in an 11-6 Rainshadow Rumble rivalry softball victory on March 30.

The two teams combined for 17 runs on 25 hits — with each team hitting two booming home runs.

“Both sides have good hitting teams, that’s for sure,” Port Angeles coach Randy Steinman said.

Natalie Robinson’s three-run homer to right field put the Riders back on top 8-5 in the top of the fifth after Lily Fili’s own three-run bomb and a pair of RBI singles by Lainy Vig and Hannah Bates pulled the Wolves even.

3R HR by Natalie Robinson puts Port Angeles back into the lead up 8-5 after a Lily Fili 3R HR propelled Sequim to a 5-run 4th. pic.twitter.com/ZgsjUd2X1J
— Michael Carman (@MikeCarmanPDN) March 31, 2021

“Sequim fought back and tied it up, and I’m proud of our girls. They didn’t hang their heads at all. They kept pounding away at the ball with confidence, and that was nice to see,” Steinman said.

Port Angeles added an insurance run in the sixth when Zoe Smithson reached base on an infield single, stole second and third, then scored on an Ava Brenkman RBI single.

Smithson followed with a two-run homer in the Riders’ final turn at the plate to cement the win and cap a 5-for-5 day at the plate that also included a two-run double that caromed off the top of the fence in right-center field.

Beside allowing a solo home run to Vig in the Wolves’ last turn at the plate, Port Angeles reliever Cheyenne Zimmer, with help from shortstop Jada Cargo-Acosta, shut Sequim down.

Vig, Sequim’s No. 9 hitter, led the Wolves by hitting 3 for 3 with two RBIs, including the home run.

“I thought Lainy pitched well enough for us to win,” Sequim coach Mike McFarlen said. “She really swung the bat as well. We made too many errors behind her. I think we had four or five errors that led to runs, and that’s the big difference in the game.”

Wins over NK, Bainbridge

Sequim overcame a late seven-run inning by North Kitsap, rallying with a seven-run inning of its own to beat the Vikings 12-10 in eight innings on April 3.

The game was 2-0 in the fifth when the Wolves made a couple of errors and gave up seven runs to fall way behind, McFarlen said. The Wolves responded with a seven-run inning in the sixth to go back up 9-7.

The Vikings rallied to tie it in the seventh. McFarlen said in the eighth inning, Sequim picked up a couple of runs by executing some hit and run plays.

“We put the game in motion and got some key hits,” he said.

McFarlen said Taylee Rome had a couple of clutch hits in the sixth and seventh innings, one of which was a double. Fili went 3-for-4 with a double, Mia Pozernick went 2-for-4 with a double, Kailyn Lopez went 2-for-4 with a double and Christy Grubb was 2-for-4 with a double.

Vig pitched the entire eight innings for the win.

The Wolves added an 11-4 win at Bainbridge on April 5.

Vig pitched the entire game and picked up the victory on the mound for the Wolves. Grubb went 3-for-4 with a double and a triple while Pozernick was 2-for-4 with a double.

“Other than that, we scattered singles all over the place,” McFarlen said.

McFarlen said Sequim is playing good defense and about the only criticism he has is “we’re leaving too many baserunners on base.”

Coming up

After a few days off for spring break, Sequim (6-1) gets four games in four days: April 14 at Bremerton, April 15 at home against North Mason, April 16 at home versus Olympic, and April 17 at Port Angeles.