Father, daughter in opposite dugouts in softball game

EVERETT — There aren’t many times Everett softball coach Mike Millar is going to omit scouting report details he has on a pitcher his Seagulls are facing, but his team’s Monday night’s matchup against Lakewood qualified as one of those unique circumstances.

And it’d be hard to blame Millar for doing so.

While the Everett coach was on the third-base line giving his hitters direction, he was simultaneously scheming against his daughter, Lakewood freshman starting pitcher Kassidy Millar, during the Seagulls’ 12-6 victory.

“It was definitely the weirdest game I have ever coached without a doubt,” said Mike, who coached Kassidy’s youth and select teams and taught her how to pitch and hit. “I found myself at times, especially when she was on base, almost wanting to coach her. You look out there and see a familiar face that you have coached for years, and it’s just natural to want to help her and and coach her and stuff.”

The Millars, who live in the Smokey Point area, had eagerly been looking forward to this game ever since Mike made a special request to his athletic director that he get a nonconference game against Lakewood scheduled.

“It was exciting,” Kassidy said with big smile. “I’ve always played for my dad or another coach, and I think my team just battled really hard against him, and it was a different atmosphere definitely with him on the other sideline.”

While Mike may have been rooting for a 1-0 pitcher’s dual and an Everett win, that’s not exactly what transpired at Lincoln Field.

Kassidy had plenty of bright moments against her dad’s lineup, but an eight-run fourth inning littered with errors proved too much for the Cougars to overcome as Mike earned some bragging rights at home.

“The girls that I coach here at Everett, many of them I have been around for years,” Mike said. “And they are like daughters to me also, so it is very tough because I’m proud of them when they get a hit, and then right away on the other hand it’s your kid that gave up a hit.”

To Mike’s credit, while he maybe held back a few details about his daughter’s pitching ability, he didn’t give away much, either.

“He didn’t really tell me anything about his team,” Kassidy said. “We came to watch their game against Getchell and kind of scouted them. I just want to tell him good game, and I would have liked to beat him, that’s for sure.”

While the nonleague game served as an exhibition in order to fine tune some things before conference play resumes, the game most importantly gave Mike an opportunity to see his daughter play — something he hasn’t been able to do that often while coaching Everett.

“I thought it would be fun,” Mike said of scheduling the game. “I don’t get to see her play a whole lot, so it was a good opportunity. I just told her I love her, and I was proud of her and how she handled herself given the circumstances out there.”

The dad-daughter matchup aside, Lakewood led 6-4 in the fourth inning before giving up the critical eight-run inning, and Everett pitcher Megan Gordon, in relief, shut down Cougars offense down the rest of the way.

Tara Marquardt led the Seagulls with three hits, two runs and an RBI, while teammate Brooklyn Johnson went 2 for 4 with a triple, two RBIs and a run scored.