MILL CREEK — The Jackson softball team picked a bad time to revert to some old habits.
Five Wolfpack errors led to a pair of unearned runs and enabled Mountlake Terrace to edge the Timberwolves 3-0 in a Western Conference 4A South Division game Monday at Jackson High School.
The loss snapped a five-game Wolfpack winning streak.
“In our three losses, our defense has kind of took the afternoon off,” said Wolfpack coach Mike Moran. “Our defense kind of had bad games. When you play good teams, you can’t have bad games.”
Mountlake Terrace junior pitcher Lindsey Woodhouse pitched a two-hit, complete-game shutout and worked out of her only major jam in the bottom of the fourth inning.
After retiring the first batter, Woodhouse surrendered consecutive singles to Jackson’s Kendra Bergan and Erin Dreghorn before retiring the next two batters to escape unscathed.
“She really picked up the pace when she got in trouble, but give her some credit,” Moran said of Woodhouse. “She sat us down when she needed to. We had the right people up in the right situations. We just couldn’t push anything across.”
Woodhouse is a much improved pitcher from a year ago, according to Jackson first baseman Meaghan Craig. The Mountlake Terrace junior kept the Timberwolves off balance all afternoon.
“She was just using her pitches well,” Craig said. “We haven’t really faced pitchers who’ve used their pitches and she has, I think, five pitches. Maybe it’s more.”
Woodhouse had success with her fastball, riseball, change and curve, Craig added.
Shorecrest then blanked Jackson 3-0 Tuesday to drop the Timberwolves (6-3 in the league, 7-4 overall) into a three way tie with Everett and Shorecrest for third place in the division.
The defensive miscues against Mountlake Terrace were uncharacteristic for a Jackson team that has played solid defense for the most part.
“Our defense has been awesome,” Craig said. “They’ve just made great plays. They make our pitchers look good.”
Mountlake Terrace took a 1-0 lead over Jackson in the top of the third after Carly Wheat ended up on second base on an error. Wheat advanced to third on a passed ball and then scored on a wild pitch.
In the seventh, Mountlake Terrace’s Megan Watson hit a hard line drive that the Wolfpack could not field and took second on a throwing error. Watson advanced to third on a ground out and scored on a wild pitch.
“We just didn’t make a couple of plays when we needed to and they took advantage,” Moran said. “Great teams are going to do that. They’re a good team. I thought our girls were in the game. We had our chances.”
Added Mountlake Terrace coach Kim Stewart, “This league is so good that if (a team) is going to give you anything, you have to take advantage of it. You may not get another chance to do so.”
The offensive highlight of the game for the Hawks was a mammoth home run to center field by junior third baseman Jamie Foote in the fourth inning.
“Jamie is obviously amazing,” Craig said. “I applaud her.”
Foote also had the defensive play of the game, robbing Morgan Frost of a base hit by snagging a hard line drive to third base in the seventh inning.
“Our defense is solid. Kids are making plays,” Stewart said. “Every once in a while we come up with a good one like Jamie’s play at third.”
Craig is looking forward to the rematch with Mountlake Terrace later in the season.
“We saw what they can do and we know what we need to do,” Craig said.
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