MONROE — After a year off, the Marysville-Pilchuck softball team will return to state. Judging by the Tomahawks’ reaction, they’re ready to return.
M-P took a brief break from celebrating a state berth to shake hands with Arlington, and pose for a team picture, and then resumed the party after defeating Arlington 13-0 in a 4A District 1 semifinal game that lasted five innings.
“We’re happy to know we’re going to state,” Tomahawks’ head coach KT Allyn said. “The district championship is the next step.”
Junior pitcher Riley Fritz was one hit and two walks away from a perfect game in her second appearance of the day. Fritz pitched the last two innings of M-P’s 15-4 win over Snohomish in the first round of the district tournament, and Allyn had planned on using two pitchers again until she looked at the score sheet.
“Riley hasn’t even worked up a sweat,” Allyn noticed looking at her pitcher’s stats, “so I’m leaving her on the mound.”
Katie Buck provided the offense to make sure the Tomahawks would head back to state, hitting two doubles and driving in four runs against the Eagles. Buck was 6-for-6 with a home run, three doubles and eight RBI in the doubleheader.
“(Going to state) is always a possibility,” Allyn said. “Always set as a goal.”
The Tomahawks (19-2 overall) broke the game wide open in the bottom of the second innning, scoring six runs on three hits, two walks, a hit batter and an Arlington error. Jessica Christensen was the first and last batter in the bottom half of the inning, leading off with a single, scoring a run and then grounded out to end the inning nine batters later.
With the bases loaded M-P got a bloop single to right field, a walk and a sacrifice fly before Buck ripped one of her doubles with the bases loaded to all but put the game away for the Wesco North No. 1 seed.
Megan Rollings hit a two-RBI triple for the Tomahawks’ first runs of the game, and batted 5-for-5 over the two district games with two triples and three RBI. Freshman Haley Fritz provided another spark for M-P’s offense, going a perfect 4-for-4 on day one of the district tournament with a home run in the first game against Snohomish.
“It was her best game of the season,” Allyn said of Fritz, who had three RBI and scored two runs on the day.
Lynsey Amundson hit a double, the lone hit for Arlington (16-6) which only had three runners reach base during the game.
The Tomahawks will face Jackson, which is a perfect 22-0, in the district championship 5 p.m. Thursday. It is the first time this season that M-P will face the Timberwolves and Mike Moran, the coach at Jackson who used to be a member of Allyn’s staff at Marysville. The Tomahawks ran to watch the end of Jackson’s 3-2 victory over Stanwood after their game was over to scout their next opponent.
M-P stumbled in the beginning of the day, falling behind 4-0 to the Panthers. Allyn said the Tomahawks had to fight Snohomish and “pouring down rain” before finally rallying to win the first round game. Snohomish defeated Mountlake Terrace 11-1 in the consolation bracket, eliminating the Hawks from the postseason.
Snohomish will play Stanwood at 3 p.m. Thursday in a loser-out game. The winner of that game will face the winner of Arlington vs. Monroe (the Bearcats defeated Shorewood 11-6 to move on in the consolation bracket and eliminate the Thunderbirds) in the third place game for the district’s final state berth while M-P and Jackson figure out the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds on the adjacent field.
Semifinal game
At Sky River Park
Arlington00000— 012
M-P3604x—13100
Ladines, Probert (2) and Amundson. R. Fritz and Christensen. WP—R. Fritz. LP—Ladines. 2B—Amundson (A), Buck (MP) 2. 3B—Rollings (MP). Records—Arlington 16-6 overall. M-P 19-2.
First-round game
Snohomish220000— 452
Marysville-Pilchuck033225—15161
Gordillo, Goodwin (4) and West. Rosie, R. Fritz (5) and Christensen. WP—Rosie. LP—Gordillo. 2B—Buck (MP), H. Fritz (MP). 3B—Rollings (MP). HR—West (S), Buck (MP), H. Fritz (MP). Records—Snohomish 9-14 overall. M-P 19-2.
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