Prep softball: Arlington 13, Cascade 0 (5 innings)

Published 9:53 pm Tuesday, May 14, 2013

MONROE — Arlington senior pitcher Ronnie Ladines has had quite the impact on the Eagles softball team since her return from injury in late April. That continued on Tuesday when her two home runs in the 4A district 1 semifinal helped Arlington advance to the district championship game and the state tournament with a 13-0 victory over Cascade in five innings.

“They’ve been getting stronger and stronger every game,” Arlington coach Dan Eng said. “With Ronnie back now for the eighth game, you can tell how valuable she is that we missed her the first 12 games. They are just now starting to peak, which is scary.”

The Eagles beat Kamiak 9-3 in the opening round of districts earlier Tuesday. Ladines had two home runs in that game as well. She batted 5-for-7 with four home runs for the day.

Ladines wasn’t Arlington’s only star of the day, the Fields sisters also showed off their power bats. Senior Hayden Fields homered in the Eagles victory over Kamiak. Her sister Hayley Fields homered in the second game, as did their younger sister, freshman Kendall Fields.

“They (Hayley and Hayden) are really inspired to play with their freshman sister,” Eng said “All three of them get to finish (Hayley and Hayden’s) career together. They are a very close tight-knit family and sisters. They support each other. To have the older sisters hit one, but then have the younger one put one out — it was a pleasant surprise.”

The Eagles were one of the favorites to get to state a year ago, but fell short of their goal.

“They had a lot of unfinished business from last year,” Eng said. “They were out in three games. It was real disappointing because on paper it showed they should have been (at state). This year, they came in with an attitude of unfinished business and as you can see they took care of the business today.”

At Sky River Park

Arlington06502xx—13111

Cascade00000xx—021

Ronnie Ladines and Lynsey Amundson. Makinlee Sellevold and Alex Deaver. WP—Ladines. LP—Sellevold. 2B—Hayley Fields (A) 2, Katelynn McDonald (A), Kaylyn Myers (A). 3B—Hayley Fields (A). HR—Hayley Fields (A), Kendall Fields (A), Ladines (A) 2. Records—Arlington 18-3 overall. Cascade 19-3.