EDMONDS — Lynnwood lead-off hitter Jasmin Edwards started Friday’s game off with an inside-the-park home run, but it took an additional eight innings for the Royals to break free and defeat Edmonds-Woodway 6-5 in nine innings to earn a berth in the 4A district playoffs.
Edwards’ home run highlighted a day in which she batted 4-for-5 with a home run and three runs scored.
“(Jasmin) has been a sparkplug for us all year,” said Lynnwood head coach Matt Rockne. “She had an off-the-field injury before the season, but she slowly came back. It wasn’t until maybe the last two weeks that she’s really felt 100 percent. She is always a threat to hit it deep or use her speed to get around those bases. And she always said her favorite thing to do on the field is touch home plate.”
The Royals jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, before the Warriors countered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and two in the fifth to give Edmonds-Woodway the 5-4 advantage. Lynnwood tied the score at 5-5 the next inning. Both squads would end up going scoreless in the seventh and eighth.
Desiree Graham led off the top of the ninth inning with a bunt. Erica Gott followed by drawing a walk to put two runners on with no outs. A wild-pitch to Edwards advanced the runners to second and third. Celeste Angell then drove-in the eventual game-winning run with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Lynnwood starting pitcher, Jessica Gott closed out her complete-game victory in the bottom half of the inning with two strikeouts, clinching the district berth.
“Jessica pitched really great for us,” Rockne said. “Her nine innings today came after an eight inning game on Wednesday, so she’s pitched a lot of innings for us this week.”
Gott finished the game with 11 strikeouts while walking just a single batter.
With the victory the Royals move on to play Wesco 4A North champ Snohomish (12-2, 18-2) in the first round of the district playoffs, a team that Lynnwood lost 16-0 in their only prior matchup this season.
“We kind of have to do what we’ve been doing,” said Rockne on his preparation for the game against the top-seeded Panthers. “We’ve got nothing to lose. We’ll play them tough and see what happens.”
At Edmonds-Woodway H.S.
Lynnwood 102 101 001—6 11 5
Edmonds-Woodway 000 320 000—5 11 0
Jessica Gott and Erica Gott. McKenzie Brendemuhl and Cassidy Orstad. WP—Gott. LP—Brendemuhl. 2B—Brooklyn Bailey (EW), Taylor Jones (EW). 3B—Kaylie Whitmore (EW). HR—Jasmine Edwards (L). Records—Lynnwood 7-14 overall. Edmonds-Woodway 6-15.
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