The North King County junior fastpitch all-stars split their four games at this year’s state tournament and settled for fourth place.
Sedro Woolley edged the NKC Thunder 7-6 Monday night at Centenial Park in Snoqualmie to advance in the loser’s bracket of the eight-team, double-elimination tournament.
Emma Snow drove in five of NKC’s runs, including a two-run single in the top of the first and a two-run double in the third.
Catcher Angie Rodriguez was 4-for-4 and scored three runs for the Thunder. Alanna Schade was 2-for-4 with an RBI and Molly Donahue was 2-for-2 with two walks.
The game was tied on three occasions before Sedro Woolley regained the lead for good in the top of the seventh inning.
“They’d charge ahead and we’d catch up, then we’d charge ahead and they’d catch us,” North King County manager Paula Donahue said.
“It’s funny how evenly matched we were. If we ever played them again, I’m sure it would be back and forth.”
NKC opened the state tournament by crushing PacWest 16-1 July 17 behind a dominating effort from pitcher Annie Collins, who fanned 12 of the 20 batters she faced.
Donahue was 3-for-4 with two RBI, Sarah Boe was 2-for-2 and Ashton Alvarez hit a three-run triple for the Thunder.
Sequim downed NKC 13-3 in the second round July 19. The Thunder committed seven errors, stranded eight runners and was held to just four hits.
NKC then came back to oust Asotin County 11-8 July 20, scoring five runs in the sixth inning. Anna Ellersick was 4-for-5 and Snow was 3-for-4, with three RBI to pace the Thunder.
Rodriguez boasted a team-high .727 batting average (8-for-15) at state. Snow hit .643, Ellersick hit .538 and as a team, the Thunder struck out only nine times.
“I’m really proud of all the girls,” Donahue said. “They played their hearts out the whole tournament. They really gelled as a team and had a lot of fun together.”
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