CENTRALIA — The Forks softball team is a win away from state after splitting games at the district tournament Wednesday.
The Spartans ripped Kalama 7-1 in the first game but then lost 10-0 to powerhouse Montesano in the second round at the Southwest Washington District Class 1A championships.
Next is a do-or-die showdown with Toledo on Saturday for a state berth at Centralia.
The winner of the 11 a.m. game earns a state berth while the loser goes home.
The Spartans are feeling confident because they have swept Toledo this year, winning 4-3 in one game and 10-running the league opponent in another contest.
“We’re in good shape,” Forks coach Scott Justus said. “We’re right where we thought we would be.”
Forks came out on a mission Wednesday against Kalama, running out to a 3-0 lead before giving up a single run in the fourth inning.
The Spartans blew the game open in the top of the fifth inning with three runs, leading 6-1. They scored their final run in the sixth.
Forks had eight hits and had just one error in the game.
“The girls played well [Wednesday],” Justus said. “They should be proud of themselves. They played tremendous defense in the morning game.”
Alexa Justus (10-4) went the distance on the mound, scattering four hits while giving up one earnedrun while striking out seven and walking only one.
Kylea Allen went 2-for-4 with three stolen bases and two runs scored while Alexa Justus was 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and RBI.
Gwen Gillett went 1-for-3 while scoring two runs.
Kim Zellar walked three times, scoring two runs with a stolen base.
Montesano dominated the second game.
Devin Baker, a first-team all-league pitcher, held the Spartans to one hit.
“She’s the best we have seen all year,” Scott Justus said.
Montesano as a team has a high batting percentage, and is good at getting the singles.
“Montesano’s all a short game,” Scott Justus said. “They have tremendous speed.”
Montesano used that strong hitting and good base running to score twice in the fourth inning, and four times each in the fifth and sixth stanzas.
Abby McIrvin went six innings on the mound for Forks, striking out three while walking four.
Game 1
Forks 7, Kalama 1
Forks 1 0 1 1 3 1 0 – 7 8 1
Kalama 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 — 1 4 2
WP- Alexa Justus (10-4)
Pitching Statistics
Forks: Alexa Justus (10-4), 7 K, 1 BB, 4 hits, 1 earned run.
Hitting Statistics
Forks: Kylea Allen 2-4, 3 SB, 2 runs; Alexa Justus 3-4, 2 SB, RBI, run; Gwen Gillett 1-3, 2 runs; Kim Zellar 3 BB, 2 runs, SB.
Game 2
Montesano 10, Forks 0
Forks 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 1 2
Montesano 0 0 0 2 4 4 x — 10 12 0
WP- Devin Baker; LP- Abby McIrvin.
——–
Port Angeles 20, Sequim 3
SEQUIM — Port Angeles battered archrival Sequim in a non-league district tune-up for both squads on Wednesday.
“We had been talking about our A game and our girls showed it tonight,” Port Angeles coach Buddy Bear said.
Hannah Wahto broke open the game for the Roughriders after hitting a bases-loaded triple.
Wahto finished with five RBIs and two runs scored.
Rider teammate Kelsey Hinsdale added two home runs and three RBIs and Stacey Webb picked up her ninth win on the mound.
Port Angeles (14-5) opens the Class 3A Bi-District playoffs with a game against Auburn-Mountainview (11-10) at 2 p.m. at Sprinker Fields in Parkland.
Sequim (12-7) opens district play with a loser-out contest against Fife on Friday at 6 p.m., also at Sprinker Fields.
Port Angeles 20, Sequim 3
Port Angeles 0 6 1 1 3 9 X – 20 19 3
Sequim 2 0 0 1 0 0 X — 3 5 2
WP- Webb (9-2); LP- Winfield
Pitching Statistics
Port Angeles: Webb 5IP, 3R (3ER), 5H, BB, 3K; Craver IP, 0H, 0R.
Sequim: Winfield 4IP, 7R, 8H, BB, K; Briones 2IP, 13R (11ER), 11H, 3BB, 2K.
Hitting Statistics
Port Angeles: Hinsdale 3-5 (2HR, 3B, 3RBI, 4R); Wahto 2-3 (3B, 2B, 5RBI, 2R); Ward 2-3 (3B, 3R); Pitz 2-4 (2 3B, RBI, 2R); Pimental 3-5 (2RBI, 3R); Elofson 2-4, (3B, 2R); Hoover 2-4 (2RBI, 2R).
Sequim: Roeber 2-3, (2B, R); Zbaraschuk 1-3, (R); Donahue 1-3; Hopson 1-2 (R).
