SEQUIM — Sequim produced a five-run fourth inning to catch up to Port Angeles only to see the Roughriders’ bats break the game back open late in an 11-6 Rainshadow Rumble rivalry softball victory Tuesday.
The two teams combined for 17 runs on 25 hits — with each team hitting two booming home runs.
“Both sides have good hitting teams, that’s for sure,” Port Angeles coach Randy Steinman said.
Natalie Robinson’s three-run homer to right field put the Riders back on top 8-5 in the top of the fifth after Lily Fili’s own three-run bomb and a pair of RBI singles by Lainy Vig and Hannah Bates pulled the Wolves even.
3R HR by Natalie Robinson puts Port Angeles back into the lead up 8-5 after a Lily Fili 3R HR propelled Sequim to a 5-run 4th. pic.twitter.com/ZgsjUd2X1J
— Michael Carman (@MikeCarmanPDN) March 31, 2021
“Sequim fought back and tied it up, and I’m proud of our girls. They didn’t hang their heads at all. They kept pounding away at the ball with confidence, and that was nice to see,” Steinman said.
Port Angeles added an insurance run in the sixth when Zoe Smithson reached base on an infield single, stole second and third, then scored on an Ava Brenkman RBI single.
Smithson followed with a two-run homer in the Riders’ final turn at the plate to cement the win and cap a 5-for-5 day at the plate that also included a two-run double that caromed off the top of the fence in right-center field.
“It was pretty impressive; she’s been on a tear since day one,” Steinman said. “She was leading the team in hitting, and this will only help those stats.”
For her part, Smithson said she didn’t change anything about her approach when facing the left-handed Vig.
“I focused on hitting it hard and making solid contact,” Smithson said.
Beside allowing a solo home run to Vig in the Wolves’ last turn at the plate, Port Angeles reliever Cheyenne Zimmer, with help from shortstop Jada Cargo-Acosta, shut Sequim down.
“Cheyenne did really well. She did the same thing she did (last week) at North Mason; she came in and hit her spots really well,” Smithson said.
Cargo-Acosta made a number of difficult nabs at shortstop on hard-hit Sequim grounders to keep the Wolves at bay.
“That’s Jada,” Steinman said. “Hard line drive? She scoops it. She’s an amazing shortstop. And she hit a couple of rocket line drives.”
Port Angeles senior first baseman Brenkman went 3 for 3 and reached on an error while driving in a pair of runs.
“Ava has been solid for us,” Steinman said.
Vig, Sequim’s No. 9 hitter, led the Wolves by hitting 3 for 3 with two RBIs, including the home run.
“I thought Lainy pitched well enough for us to win,” Sequim coach Mike McFarlen said. “She really swung the bat as well. We made too many errors behind her. I think we had four or five errors that led to runs, and that’s the big difference in the game.”
Port Angeles (3-0) will host Bainbridge today while Sequim (3-1) visits North Kitsap on Saturday.
Port Angeles 11, Sequim 6
PA 2 0 2 1 3 1 2 — 11 15 1
S 0 0 0 5 0 0 1 — 6 10 3
WP: Zimmer LP: Vig
Pitching
Port Angeles: Clark 3.1 IP, 5 R, 8 H, 4 K; Zimmer 3.2 IP, R, 2 H, 4K.
Sequim: Vig 7 IP, 11 R, 15H, 2 BB, 2 K.
Hitting
Port Angeles: Smithson 5-5, 2 SB, HR, 3 RBI; Robinson 1-4, HR, 3 RBI; Brenkman 3-3, ROE, 2 RBI; Rudd 2-4, RBI.
Sequim: Vig 3-3, R, HR, 2 RBI; Fili 2-3, R, HR, 3 RBI; Bates 2-3, Grubb 2-4, Smith 1-3, Julmist 1-4.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-406-0674 or mcarman@peninsuladaily news.com.
Sequim third baseman Kailin Lopez makes a play to throw out Port Angeles’ Taylor Worthington in the fifth inning of PA’s 11-6 win over Sequim on March 30. (Michael Dashiell/Olympic Peninsula News Group)
