TACOMA – One bad inning.
That’s all it took to end the Lake Stevens Vikings 4A state title chance.
The Woodinville Falcons scored three runs on six sixth-inning singles to defeat the Vikings 4-1 in a 4A state tournament quarterfinal game at the South End Recreational Area in Tacoma Friday evening.
It was a disappointing loss for the 4A District 1 runner-up, but one head coach Sue Van Wyhe thought could have been avoided.
“We took ourselves out of this game. We had plenty of opportunities, but we didn’t make any adjustments,” Van Wyhe said.
The Vikings, who had earlier in the day beaten Central Kitsap 2-0 in a first-round game, took a 1-0 lead in the fourth after a Vallen Brewer single to center scored Lexi Kubin from second.
With the way Lake Stevens pitcher Athea Surface was pitching, it looked like the one run would be all the Vikings would need.
Surface was nearly unhittable through the first five innings, allowing two hits and no runs.
The right-hander finished the game with eight strikeouts, six of those coming in the first five innings.
“My pitcher-catcher duo has been really on lately. They’ve been doing a great job,” Van Wyhe said of her senior pitcher Surface and catcher Brittanie Thibodeaux.
The Falcons offense would get to Surface and the Vikings in the sixth by leading off the inning with five straight singles.
Two of the Falcons hits were bunt singles, and could partly be blamed on mental miscues by the Vikings infielders.
“They were outs but we played the lead runner. Kids are still learning when to take that lead runner out,” Van Wyhe said.
Devan McComb drove a bases-loaded single to left that scored Jamie Stivala, tying the score at 1-1, and Lauren Hamilton, who finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, followed McComb with a single that scored Maggie Wagner.
Kaaren Hatlen added one more single and by the time Surface and the Vikings got out of the inning Lake Stevens was behind 3-1.
Though the loss to the Falcons was hard, the Vikings had little time to dwell on it.
The Vikings had to play in a 9 p.m. consolation game.
“This team is so united. They really work and back each other up. They get tired but they bring each other up. They really capitalize and help each other out,” Van Wyhe said of her squad.
Jackson ousted
Jackson lost its first two games and was eliminated from the tournament. The Timberwolves fell 5-0 to Shadle Park in the first round and 6-5 to Emerald Ridge in consolation play.
At SERA Fields
Woodinville0000031-4111
Lake Stevens0001000-150
McComb, Varney and Hamilton. Surface and Thibodeaux. WP-Varney. LP-Surface. 2B-Hatlen (W), Pierre (W). 3B-Stivala (W). Records-Woodinville 21-3 overall. Lake Stevens 18-8.
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