Pirates stave off Titans, return to state semifinals
May 24—Box Score
At Gateway Sports Complex (Yakima)
PIRATES 3, TITANS 2
PWV 002 000 0 — 2
Adna 101 001 X — 3
PWV Pitching — Emery 6 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 10 K. Highlights — Matlock 3-3, BB, R; Lyons 2-3, R
ADNA Pitching — Simms 7 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 12 K. Highlights — K. Humphrey 2-3, HR, RBI; Carroll 2-3, HR, RBI, R; Dollarhyde 2-3
YAKIMA — Adna coach Bruce Pocklington began to tear up.
"We didn't play the best today, and we still came out on top," Pocklington said. "I ask a lot of these girls, and they keep giving. I'm very proud."
In one of the closest games of the 2B State Tournament, the top-seeded Pirates held off No. 8 Pe Ell-Willapa Valley 3-2 in a state quarterfinal.
Alyssa Carroll came through with the biggest hit of the game, as the freshman broke a 2-2 tie with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the sixth.
"It was a very exciting game for the fans and not myself," Pocklington said. "We stuck it out."
In addition to her go-ahead home run, Carroll also hit a double. Brytin Dollarhyde, an eighth-grader, also collected two hits at the plate.
"Our young pups keep bringing it," Pocklington said.
The usual suspects played their part as well. Danika Hallom scored the game's first run after hitting a leadoff double in the first, as Margarite Humphrey brought her home with a sacrifice fly.
After PWV took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third, Kendall Humphrey hit a game-tying home run in the bottom half. Ava Simms struck out 12 while allowing eight hits and two earned runs in seven innings of work.
PWV's Lauren Emery was able to match Simms in the circle for most of the game. She also allowed eight hits, including two home runs, and three earned runs while striking out 10 and walking just one.
"She did really good," PWV coach Eric Hopfer said. "She's tired, and she let a few slip. It happens."
The Titans were able to plate a pair in the third, but outside of that, they didn't get another runner into scoring position until the seventh.
In that inning, they had the tying run on second and the potential go-ahead run at third, but a fielder's choice and a pop out ended it.
"I think Ava did a fine job in mixing her pitches and exploiting some of our hitters," Hopfer said. "And we couldn't really string anything together, for the most part."
Lauren Matlock went 3 for 3 at the plate, and Kylee Lyons tallied a pair of hits and scored a run.
"They're a great team, it was a great game, and we lost by one," he added. "We'll be fine tomorrow."
Pe Ell-Willapa Valley will have to win two games to get to the third-place game on Saturday, starting with a matchup against No. 12 Lake Roosevelt at 10 a.m.
Adna is back in the state semifinals for the fourth straight tournament.
Pocklington is hoping to see a bounceback day for the Adna offense, starting with a semifinal matchup against No. 4 Kittitas at 10 a.m.
"Every game we're trying to improve," Pocklington said. "If we're gonna win a couple more, we gotta swing the bats. We're good at that."
