Liddell leads Loggers past Chinooks in district opener
May 13—Box Score
At Recreation Park
LOGGERS 6, CHINOOKS 1
Kalama 000 000 1 — 1
Onalaska 220 002 X — 6
ONY Pitching — Liddell 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 BB, 13 K. Highlights — Smith 2-4, 2 2B, RBI, 3 R; Zandell 3-3, 2B, 2 RBI, R; Haight 3-4, 3 RBI
It was clear early on that Lisa Liddell was on her 'A' game.
After walking two of the first three batters she faced, she struck out the next two batters. In the second, she struck out two more in a 1-2-3 inning.
It was mostly smooth sailing from that point on for Liddell and the Loggers on Monday, as Onalaska topped Kalama 6-1 in the opening round of the 2B District 4 Tournament.
"I'm very proud of them," Onalaska coach Rich Teitzel said. "This is the time of the year that we need to come together, and it was good to see it."
Liddell led the way with a strong showing on the mound, something Teitzel said was the result of work between her, catcher Randi Haight, and Teitzel.
"She's hitting her marks," Teitzel said. "It's the most we've been on the same page."
After giving out two free passes in the opening frame, Liddell allowed just three baserunners (two hits, one hit batter) over the next five innings. She finished the day with 13 strikeouts, allowing just five hits and an unearned run.
The Onalaska (13-7) offense gave her plenty of support early. Haight brought home two with a single in the first, and Desi Smith appeared to double the lead with a two-run home run in the second.
Smith's home run was confoundingly ruled a ground-rule double, however, so she was forced to stay at second, but she scored on an RBI single from Kate Zandell just one batter later to make it 4-0.
"I'm proud of the girls for not letting that get them down." Teitzel said.
It wasn't the first time Monday that Smith had got a hold of one. She opened the bottom of the first with a double off the wall.
"I don't know what Desi's eating," Teitzel joked. "But we're gonna put the whole team on it."
The Loggers left two in scoring position in the fifth inning, but added two insurance runs in the sixth thanks to RBI singles from Zandell and Haight.
Haight finished with three hits in four at-bats and drove in three runs, while Zandell finished a perfect 3 for 3 at the plate with two RBIs.
With the win, Onalaska advanced to the double-elimination portion of the district tournament. The Loggers will take on Pe Ell-Willapa Valley in a quarterfinal on Wednesday at Fort Borst Park.
A win would put them through to a winner-to-state semifinal, while a loss would put them in an elimination game. Win or lose, they'll play two on Wednesday in Centralia.
