Fastpitch: SHS tops P.A., takes top seed to districts

Tiebreaker gives Sequim top seed into districts and Roughriders second seed.

By Matthew Nash • May 22, 2014 3:34 pm
Second baseman Halie Wilson makes a tag on a Roughriders’ runner who tried to steal in the fourth inning. Wolves catcher McKenzie Bentz made the throw.
Second baseman Halie Wilson makes a tag on a Roughriders’ runner who tried to steal in the fourth inning. Wolves catcher McKenzie Bentz made the throw.

 

Dry Creek Elementary must be Sequim’s sweet spot.

The Wolves fastpitch squad (15-2 in league) won twice there last week in Port Angeles scoring 16 runs between games against the rival Roughriders (14-3).

Sequim won the Olympic League’s first seed into the 2A West Central Districts with an 8-5 come-from-behind-win on May 16 in a tie breaker game. They’ll play the winner of Steilacoom or Bremerton tilt this Friday, May 23, in Sprinker Field in Tacoma. If they advance, they’ll play May 24 for a possible seed to state, which takes place May 30-31 in Selah. Port Angeles faces the winner of the Franklin Pierce and Renton contest.

But the No. 1 seed almost slipped out of Sequim’s grip on Friday after the Wolves lost an early two-run lead in the bottom of the second inning when the Roughriders scored four runs with singles and a sacrifice hit.

They went up 5-2 in the bottom of the third with another run on a wild pitch by McKenzie Bentz who started for the first time against Port Angeles this season.

Sequim coach Mike McFarlen said he went with Bentz ahead of her sister and regular starting pitcher Makayla Bentz to give McKenzie some experience and show (P.A.) something different.

“The girls rallied behind her,” he said. “It worked out great.”

McKenzie Bentz earned the win and Makayla Bentz took over in the bottom of the fourth in relief to not give up any runs.

The game broke open in the top of the fourth inning for the Wolves when Shelby Lott drove in Makayla Bentz with a single and advanced Olivia Kirsch to third (who reached on a double).

Alexas Besand put them ahead for good with a three-run home run to go up 6-5.

After the game, Besand said that when Sequim needed the big hits they got them, which she thinks gives them momentum.

“Now we have the first seed into districts,” she said. “From here on out, I feel we can make a good run at state.”

Four Sequim hitters finished with two hits each — Tia Bourm, Mary Lu Clift, Olivia Kirsch and Shelby Lott. Clift and Lott drove in two more runners in the fifth to go up 8-5.

McFarlen said the girls’ clutch hits and their great defense were the difference makers in the game.

On having momentum going into districts, McFarlen said he “hopes so” but emphasized that the team still can hit better.

“I really credit my staff. They are very hard-working and do a lot of for me and the girls and I can’t thank them enough,” he said.

Makayla Bentz took the 8-2 win on Tuesday, May 13, in Port Angeles, pitching a complete game while Kirsch went 4-5 with 2 RBIs, McKenzie Bentz 3-4, 2 2B, 2 RBIs, Lott 2-5, and Melissa Lewis 1-4 2B, 2 RBIs.