Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Girls keep warm during extended storm delay
Reardan catcher Jazmine Handley catches the ball at home plate and readies to tag a baserunner.
Reardan pitcher A.J. Sosky tags a Northwest Christian runner out at home plate.
SPOKANE – Heavy rainfall, thunder and an overwhelming opponent didn't prevent the Reardan girls fastpitch softball team from having a little fun Saturday, May 21, in Franklin Park.
Rather, the girls took to a muddy softball diamond to sing, dance and even "do the worm" during an extended rain delay in the 2B District 7 softball tournament.
Reardan girls even convinced players from the opposing team – Northwest Christian (Colbert) – and Jenkins (Chewelah) to join in the fun while music boomed from the dugouts.
Northwest Christian got on the board with one run in the bottom of the first inning, and took a 1-0 lead into the extended rain delay.
But when the rain subsided and the umpire gave the "play ball" go-ahead to resume, the overtly playful fun ended, as did Reardan's season.
Crusader bats propelled Northwest Christian to an easy 23-7 win, as they held Reardan scoreless in the top of the second, while adding 6 runs in the bottom of the inning.
Reardan got on the board with 4 runs in the top of the third, but Northwest Christian added 5 of its own to take a 12-4 lead into the fourth.
The Reardan girls added 2 more runs in the top of the fourth and 1 in top of the fifth to narrow the gap to 12-7 as Northwest Christian batters stepped to the play in the bottom of the fifth.
After two innings of failing to score, the Crusaders rallied, scoring 11 runs and winning the game under the 10-run rule in the bottom of the fifth.
The Crusaders would lose their next game to Asotin, 4-3, ending their season, as well.
Reardan's Alyssa "A.J." Sosky led her team at the plate, scoring two runs – one a homerun – on 1 hit with 2 RBIs. Teammate Vaea LaMoureaux also had 2 RBIs, in addition to a run.
Other Reardan batters scoring runs including Erika Preuschoff, Jayda Lembcke, Emma Leibfried and Jazmine Handley.
Erika Preuschoff also had a double in the game.
The local girls had five stolen bases in the game, including two by Mya Leibfried and one each from Erika Preuschoff, Emma Leibfried and Handley.
Kira Hoff and Mya Leibfried also had 1 RBI each.
From District 7, Liberty (Spangle), Colfax and Asotin reached the state tournament at Gateway Park in Yakima.
Colfax has the No. 5 seed at state, the highest of any team from the NE2B.
Games get underway at 8 a.m. Thursday, May 26.
Roger Harnack is the owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers from Washington state to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.
Reader Comments(0)