PORT ANGELES — Kearsten Cox had a perfect day at bat and Sarah Steinman picked up the win on the mound as Port Angeles pounded Bremerton 11-1 in Olympic League softball action Monday at Dry Creek School.
The Roughriders improved to 13-2 in league and headed to a showdown with Sequim today in a makeup game at Dry Creek school starting at 4:15 p.m. in the final regular-season game for both teams.
The defending league and state champion Wolves, at top of the standings at 13-1, played at Kingston (13-2) on Tuesday after beating North Mason 5-2 there Monday.
The three teams are battling for the league’s top three berths to the sub-district tournament this weekend, which is for district seeding only for the top three squads.
For the Riders, their Monday game was their official senior recognition day. The team’s seven seniors were honored before the 11-1 win.
Cox, one of those seniors, went on to bat 4 for 4 in the game with a double, an RBI and two runs scored.
Senior Lauren Curtis combined with Steinman (4-2) to throw a five-hitter against the Knights.
The other five seniors are Emily Drake, Meleny Fors, Tori Holcomb, Erika Olson and Hannah Wahto.
In a combined effort, the seniors have been to the state playoffs their first three years on varsity.
“I’m especially proud of these girls as I was honored to be their coach,” Port Angeles coach Buddy Bear said.
“I got to see them grow and mature, around school and in the program. Most of all, I appreciated their ability to come together as a team, no matter what the circumstances.
“They deserve more for what they have given to their teammates, to their families, to the school and to the community. They are wonderful young ladies.”
In Monday’s game, Wahto smacked a home run in the third inning and had two RBIs while Curtis hit a double and had an RBI.
Maddy Hinrichs, Holcomb and Fors each went 2 for 4 and scored a run as Fors pounded out a triple and Hinrichs had a triple and two RBIs.
Port Angeles 11, Bremerton 1
Bremerton 0 1 0 0 0 0 — 1 5 2
Port Angeles 0 2 1 0 0 8 — 11 15 2
WP- Steinman (4-2); LP- Pratt
Pitching Statistics
Bremerton: Pratt 6 IP.
Port Angeles: Curtis 2 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 0 K, 0 BB; Steinman 4 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 6 K, 3 BB.
Hitting Statistics
Port Angeles: Cox 4-4, 2B, RBI, 2 R; Hinrichs 2-4, 3B, 2 RBIs, R; Holcomb 2-4, R; Fors 2-4, 3B, R; Wahto HR, 2 RBIs; Curtis 1-1, 2B, RBI.
Sequim 5,
North Mason 2
BELFAIR — The Wolves stayed on top of the Olympic League standings at 13-1 with two games left in the regular season against Kingston and Port Angeles, both 13-2.
Sequim will play the Roughriders today at Dry Creek school, west of Port Angeles, starting at 4:15 p.m.
Demiree Briones picked up another win on the mound, scattering seven hits in the six-inning game while striking out four.
Alexas Besand went 3 for 4 at the plate with three RBIs and a double to her credit.
Rylleigh Zbaraschuk went 2 for 3 while Kinzie Winfield and Marylu Clift each rapped out doubles. The Wolves led 5-0 before the Bulldogs got on the scoreboard.
Sequim 5, North Mason 2
Sequim 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 — 5 11 1
North Mason 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 — 2 7 2
WP- Briones; LP- Bolin
Pitching Statistics
Sequim: Briones 7 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 4 K, 2 BB.
North Mason: Bolin 7 IP, 4 ER, 11 H, 6 K, 2 BB.
Hitting Statistics
Sequim: Zbaraschuk 2-3; Besand 3-4, 3 RBIs, 2B; Briones 2 RBIs.
Boys Soccer
PA starts playoffs
SILVERDALE — The Roughriders open sub-district action today in a loser-out match with Clover Park at Olympic High School’s Silverdale Stadium at 5 p.m.
Port Angeles is the third seed from the Olympic League while Clover Park is the No. 6 seed from the South Puget Sound League.
Today’s winner advances to play Sumner, the South Puget Sound No. 2 seed, at Foster High School in Tukwila on Saturday starting at 11 a.m.
That winner advances as the No. 4 seed at the West Central District tournament.
Boys Golf
Chimacum has strong finish
CHIMACUM — The Cowboys closed out a strong last couple weeks by beating traditional rival Charles Wright Academy 163-174 in a nine-hole match played at Port Ludlow Golf Club on The Timber 9, a par 36.
Chimacum junior Nathan Browning was medalist with a 2-over 38, leading his team to a claim of the Nisqually League title.
Sophomore Riley Downs continued his steady late-season play with 41, followed by junior Kevin Miller and freshman Jack Hilt tying with 42 each.
Jaelin Campbell carded a 54 and Dan Rasmussen added a 57 for the Cowboys.
Chimacum’s league record stands at 4-1-1 and the Cowboys won the all-league Nisqually Classic earlier in the week at Port Ludlow and stand to repeat as Nisqually League champions for a third straight year.
Chimacum starts the road to state at Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton for sub-districts on Thursday, then the district qualifier to state again will be at Gold Mountain on May 15.
State this year is at the Home Course in DuPont on May 22-23.
Chimacum has a good opportunity to take the Big 4 of Browning, Downs, Miller and Hilt to the state competition.
Girls Tennis
PA sends two
to district tourney
POULSBO — The Olympic League Tournament wrapped up on Monday afternoon after a rain delay at North Kitsap High School on Thursday and Friday.
The Roughriders are sending a pair of girls onto the West Central District tournament Saturday at Sprinker Center in Tacoma.
Seniors Shayla Bohman and Danielle Rutherford teamed up to take the No. 4 seed out of the league tournament.
As a team, the Riders fared well with singles player Kyrie Reyes and the doubles team of Jordi Fickas and Chelsea Drake all finishing in the top six.
Coach Brian Gundersen lauded the play of Reyes, who played three times and spent well over six hours on the court Monday.
“Kyrie was exhausted, but wouldn’t give up,” Gundersen said.
‘She battled on every point and she has a lot to be proud of today.”
Bohman and Rutherford will be joined at districts by senior Hayden McCartney, who qualified back in October in boys tennis.
Sequim pair wins district tennis title
POULSBO — Sequim’s Stacy Hanson and Katrina Chan captured the Olympic League doubles title, beating Lindsey Wicklein and Ericka Daniels of Kingston 7-5, 7-5 on Monday at North Kitsap High School.
Hanson and Chan never lost a set at the league meet, beating Tschida and Mellum of Kingston 6-1, 6-1 in the first round, defeating Vitalich and Estep of Olympic 6-0, 6-0 in the quarterfinals and taking care of Fick and Kilborn of Kingston 6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals.
Fick and Kilborn advanced to districts by claiming third place.
The district tournament is Saturday at Sprinker Center in Tacoma.