YAKIMA — Quilcene won its third consecutive state softball trophy by placing third at the Class 1B state tournament at Gateway Sports Complex.
The Rangers won fourth-place trophies in 2013 and 2014.
After opening the tournament Friday with a 3-2 loss to eventual runner-up Almira-Coulee-Hartline, Quilcene finished the tournament, and its season, with three straight wins.
First they beat Naselle 13-4 on Friday and Sunnyside Christian 6-4 on Saturday to set up a matchup with six-time defending champion Colton late Saturday afternoon.
The Rangers saved their best game for the Wildcats, defeating them 10-4 to secure third place, the best fastpitch softball finish in school history.
“We came out and hit them in mouth right away, and they never recovered,” Quilcene coach Mark Thompson said.
“I am so proud of how we responded to everything thrown our way over the last week.
“We may not have won first, but I am convinced we can beat anybody in these playoffs.”
Quilcene’s first inning started with a leadoff single by Alex Johnsen.
Erin Macedo followed with another single, and she and Johnsen scored on Katie Bailey’s two-run double.
In the second inning, Sammy Rae’s two-run single scored Bailey Kieffer and Alex Johnsen, both of whom had reached on singles.
The fourth-inning scoring came on a two-out rally. Katie Bailey walked, Allison Jones singled and Jordan Cawyer reached on a fielding error that scored Bailey.
Allie Speer then hit an RBI double, which was followed by an Alexis Gray RBI single.
“Allie Speer was huge for us this weekend. She symbolizes our ‘next player up’ mentality, stepping into the lineup for an injured Megan Weller,” Thompson said.
“For that fact, so was Katie Love at third and Bailey Kieffer at the DP position.”
Sammy Rae’s RBI double and Katie Bailey’s RBI triple in the fifth inning provided insurance for the Rangers.
Rae’s final at-bat of her high school career was a double that just missed going over the fence.
Her final pitch struck out the Wildcats’ No. 9 hitter to end the game.
“A prolific career where words really can’t do justice. Samantha is a rare player who elevates her game when the pressure is on,” Thompson said.
“I am proud of her, we are all going to miss her, and she is going to go on and be successful at whatever she pursues.”
Earlier Saturday, the Rangers ensured their third straight state trophy with a close 6-4 win over Sunnyside Christian.
“Hitting up and down the lineup — eight players with a hit — and a 12-strikeout performance by Samantha Rae were the difference,” Thompson said.
Quilcene took a 5-1 lead with a two-run sixth inning that resulted from two Sunnyside Christian errors and an Alexis Gray’s RBI single.
“We came to play in this game,” Thompson said. “Sunnyside Christian is a quality opponent, but our players were not going to be denied.”
The Rangers finish the season with a 20-2 record.
Quilcene 10, Colton 4
Quilcene 2 2 0 3 3 0 0 — 10 13 3
Colton 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 — 4 7 2
WP- Rae; LP- Schultheis
Hitting Statistics
Quilcene: Johnsen 3-4, 3 R; Madeco 3-5, 2 RBI; Rae 3-5, 2B, RBI; Bailey 2-4, 2B, 3B, 3 RBI; Jones 2-5; Kieffer 2-4; Speer 1-4, 2B, RBI; Alexis Gray 1-4, RBI.
