North Kitsap softball blasts four home runs to beat Ridgefield in 2A state championship
Watching his players pose for photos in the outfield grass after Saturday's Class 2A title game at Carlon Park in Selah, North Kitsap softball coach Clay Blackwood had a message for his team: you did it, perfectly and together.
The top-seeded Vikings pulled off one of the most impressive feats in West Sound sports history in recent memory, capping an undefeated season with an 8-1 win over No. 3 Ridgefield in a game that saw four Vikings hit home runs and saw several other players make fantastic grabs on defense.
There were standouts, to be sure. Sophomore Reese Anderson picked up her fourth state tournament victory on the mound, having allowed only two runs in four games over two days. Senior catcher Mackenzie Phillips concluded her stellar career in style with a two-run home run in the seventh inning, sealing the victory for the Vikings.
For Blackwood, this first-ever state title for the program required all hands on deck.
"Everybody did something today," Blackwood said. "This whole year, we can't go 25-0 without all 18 of these players. I'm so proud of them."
Facing a power-hitting Ridgefield squad that put up 45 runs in its first three state playoff games, it was the Vikings who put the first run on the scoreboard in Saturday's final when senior Julia Schuchart smacked a solo home run to left field in the top of the second inning. North Kitsap made it 2-0 later that inning when freshman Coriana McMillian scored after wiggling out of a rundown between third base and home.
Ridgefield answered with its lone run in the bottom of the second as Makayla Ferguson took Anderson deep to left field, cutting North Kitsap's lead to 2-1. The Spudders then loaded the bases after three walks, but Anderson settled down to strike out Ridgefield's Kayla Wingerd to end the threat.
After that inning, Anderson reminded herself to not try to be too perfect with her pitches. Allowing four hits during the game, Anderson watched junior second baseman Allison Dvorak snag a rising liner with her glove in the second inning, then watched senior shortstop Anna Wetzsteon hit the dirt to make a diving grab of a line drive in the fourth inning.
"I had to remember that I could trust my defense behind me," Anderson said.
Sophomore Kasey Wallace, who had two of North Kitsap's nine hits, put the Vikings ahead 3-1 in the third inning with a solo home run to right field. The purple and gold added two more runs in the sixth on an RBI groundout by junior Hannah Richards and an throwing error to third base by Ridgefield.
North Kitsap put any hopes of a Spudder comeback attempt to rest when Phillips came to bat in the top of the seventh with a runner on first.
"I said to myself out loud, 'Mak is going to hit this first ball out,'" Blackwood said.
Sure enough, Phillips smashed a first-pitch fastball over the fence in left to push North Kitsap's advantage to 7-1.
"I knew it was my last at-bat ever in high school," said Phillips, who'll play next season at the Oregon Institute of Technology. "I just hit it. I just let everything out on the ball."
Junior Cerenity Fake followed with a solo home run to left to finish off the scoring for the Vikings. Ridgefield went quietly in the bottom of the seventh, flying out to end the game.
Twenty-five games, twenty-five victories, one title.
"We knew we had it in us," Anderson said after the Vikings became the first West Sound softball team since Bainbridge in 2009 to claim a state crown.
Added Phillips, wiping tears of joy away from her eyes: "We're going to remember it for the rest of our lives."
Olympic finishes 2-2 at state tourney
Olympic's run at the 2A state tournament in Selah ended Saturday morning. The No. 12 seed fell to No. 6 Port Angeles 15-6 as the Trojans finished 2-2 after reaching the quarterfinal round Friday. Olympic (16-11) finished tied with the Roughriders for second place in the Olympic League standings during the regular season.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Perfection: North Kitsap softball claims 2A title to cap 25-0 season
