LACEY — The Port Angeles softball team is headed back to the 2A state tournament after crushing Highline 12-2 on Friday in the bidistrict tournament opener to qualify for state.
The Riders went on to finish third in the tournament by crushing the No. 2 seed Franklin Pierce 10-0. In the semifinal game, North Kitsap scored three runs in the seventh inning to pull out a 5-3 win over the Riders. North Kitsap went on to win the tournament by beating Olympic League rival Olympic in the championship game.
It was an Olympic League one-two-three-five finish at bidistrict as Olympic, North Kitsap and Port Angeles dominated the tournament. Kingston, which finished fourth in the Olympic League, also qualified for the state tournament from the consolation bracket, crushing Sammamish 30-1 in the qualification game.
Port Angeles is 20-3 heading into state, which begins Friday at Carlon Park in Selah.
Port Angeles was seeded No. 4 at state and begins by playing No. 13 seed Shadle Park (15-7) at 11 a.m. Friday. If the Riders win, they would face the winner of No. 12 Lynden (19-6) and No. 5 W.F. West (17-5) at 3:30 p.m.
Port Angeles might end up seeing Olympic in the state semifinals at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Franklin Pierce game
The Cardinals were a powerful hitting team that has scored at least 15 runs seven times this season, but they were shut out by the Roughriders’ Heidi Leitz, who allowed only two hits and no walks while striking out seven in just five innings.
The Riders got off to a 5-0 lead in the second inning when Lexie Smith picked a great time to hit her second home run of the season as it happened to be a grand slam. Port Angeles scored another three runs in the third to take complete command as Leitz mowed down the powerful Cardinals’ lineup.
Leitz and Lynzee Reid both hit 2-for-3 with an RBI. One of Reid’s hits was a double. Lindsay Smith, Mikkhiah Stevens and Abby Kimball all had a hit and an RBI, while Kennedy Rognlien had three walks, two stolen bases and two runs scored. The Riders stole six bases.
North Kitsap game
North Kitsap and Port Angeles, co-champions of the Olympic League, have split their four games this season, with three of the four games close. Port Angeles is ranked No. 2 in the state in ratings percentage index while defending state champion North Kitsap is ranked No. 3. It would not be surprising if these two rivals see each other for a fifth time at the state tournament.
The Riders got a two-run home run from Natalie Robinson in the fifth inning, the 11th of the season and 35th of her career. They took a 3-2 lead into the seventh inning but the Vikings broke through for three runs in the top of the seventh on three hits and a walk to take a 5-3 lead into the bottom of the inning.
The Riders threatened in the seventh and had a chance to pull out a dramatic win. Leitz walked and North Kitsap intentionally walked Robinson, though by doing so they were putting the tying run on base.
Rognlien walked to load the bases with one out but the game ended on two fly ball outs by Ava-Anne Sheahan and Kimball, sending the Vikings to the championship game and the Riders to the third-place game.
Highline game
The Riders pounded out three home runs and a total of nine extra-base hits against Highline in their tournament opener, while pitchers Heidi Leitz and Lynzee Reid combined to fire a five inning two-hitter.
Leitz went three innings and didn’t allow a hit while striking out five while Reid went two innings and allowed two hits and one earned run. She struck out three.
Port Angeles got off to a 6-0 lead after one inning and never looked back. Leitz, Kimball and Robinson all hit home runs.
Sheahan went 3-for-3 with a double and a triple and Lindsay Smith hit a triple. Leitz, Reid and Kimball all hit doubles.
Port Angeles 10, Franklin Pierce 0
FP 0 0 0 0 0 x x — 0 2 1
PA 0 5 3 0 3 x x — 10 8 0
Pitching
Port Angeles — Leitz 5 IP, 2 H, 7 K.
Hitting
Port Angeles — Lexie Smith 1-3, HR, 4 RBI, R; Leitz 2-3, RBI, BB; Reid 2-3, 2B RBI, Kimball 1-2, RBI, HBP; Stevens 1-2, R, RBI, SB; Lindsay Smith 1-2, RBI, BB; Sheahan 0-1, 2 R, 2 BB, SB; Rognlien 0-0, 2 R, 3 BB, 2 SB; Money 0-0, 2 SB.
North Kitsap 5, Port Angeles 3
NK 1 0 1 0 0 0 3 — 5 9 2
PA 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 — 3 7 2
Pitching
Port Angeles — Leitz 7 IP, 9 H, 3 ER, 6 K.
Hitting
Port Angeles — Robinson 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, IBB, R; Kimball 1-4, 2B; Leitz 1-2, RBI, 2 BB; Sheahan 2-4.
Port Angeles 12, Highline 2
High. 0 0 0 1 1 x x x — 2 2 6
PA 6 3 3 0 x x — 12 11 0
Pitching
Port Angeles — Leitz 3 IP, 5K; Reid 2 IP, 2 H, ER, 3K
Hitting
Port Angeles — Sheahan 3-3, 2B, 3B, 2 R, RBI; Leitz 2-3, HR, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI; Kimball 2-2, HR, 2B, R, 3 RBI; Robinson 1-4, HR, R, 2 RBI; Reid 1-4, 2B, 3 R, SB; Lindsay Smith 1-3, 3B, R; Money 1-1, R, RBI.
