PREP SOFTBALL: Riders end game on walkoff HR by Robinson

PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles softball team bounced back with style after a nonleague loss earlier this week with a dominating 11-1 win over Bremerton as Natalie Robinson hit two home runs, including a walkoff 2-run bomb in the fifth inning to end the game.

The Roughriders have big goals this year with a veteran squad. They are playing a very tough nonleague schedule, which included a 6-0 loss to a 3A Liberty team that went 25-4 last year.

Coach Morgan Worthington said the Riders could have won that Liberty game and didn’t play badly. Port Angeles will also play Ellensburg and East Valley this weekend, two teams that were at state last year.

“You should feel better after this game,” Worthington said to her players.

“It’s important for them to have those games to prepare us,” Worthington said. “We want them ready every game.”

Worthingon was happy with how her players responded against Bremerton.

“We had good pitching, good tight defense. We were hitting the ball hard,” she said.

Robinson had a solo home run, then after Heidi Leitz walked to get on base with a 9-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth, Robinson unleashed a towering drive that landed at least 20 feet behind the centerfield fence.

Robinson said she has had walkoff hits before, but this was her first walkoff home run. She said it felt great to get back on the winning track and feels confident about the Riders’ season.

“We have an incredible team this year,” she said.

Lynzee Reid had a great game, going five innings in the circle, giving up one run and striking out five. She allowed four hits and didn’t walk anyone. At the plate, Reid was 3-for-4 with a single, triple, home run and two RBIs.

The Riders hit with a lot of power as they totaled five home runs. Kennedy Rognlien and Ava-Anne Sheahan each hit home runs, Abby Kimball had a double and RBI, while Lexie Smith was 3-for-3 with two RBIs.

Port Angeles (1-0, 3-1) plays at North Mason (0-1, 2-1) today, then travels to Bellevue College on Saturday to play a doublehader against Ellensburg and East Valley.

Bainbridge 15, Sequim 13

SEQUIM — The Sequim Wolves fell 15-13 in a wild back-and-forth slugfest with Bainbridge.

The Wolves had the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh but couldn’t pull off the comeback.

The game featured a combined 26 hits, 12 of them by Sequim. Bainbridge had a 6-2 lead at one point, but Sequim rallied with big innings in the third and fifth to tie the game at 7-7.

The Spartans blew the game open with an eight-run sixth to make it 15-7. The Wolves rallied with a six-run sixth thanks to two-run doubles from Hannah Giddings and Mia Kirner and a two-run home run by Taylee Rome to make it 15-13.

Rome pitched the seventh, striking out two and not allowing any runs to keep the Wolves close. Sequim had a shot to pull out a victory in the bottom of the seventh. Giddings had a two-out walk and Kirner hit another double to bring Rome to the plate. Rome had gotten on base in every at-bat so Bainbridge intentionally walked her to load the bases and Mikki Green popped up to end the game.

Rome finished 3-for-3 with a two walks, double, home run, four runs scored, three RBIs and two stolen bases. Kirner was 3-for-5 with two doubles, two runs scored and three RBIs. Giddings was 2-for-3 with two walks, three runs scored and two RBIs.

Green finished 2-for-5 with five RBIs and a double.

Rylin Whitehead pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing 10 hits and just three earned runs. She struck out three.

Sequim played at Gig Harbor Wednesday after press deadline. The Wolves (0-1, 1-1) next play at Bremerton (0-1, 1-1) today.

Bainbridge 15, Sequim 13

BI 4 2 0 1 0 8 0 — 15 14 1

Seq. 2 0 3 0 2 6 0 — 13 12 3

Pitching

Sequim — Whitehead 4.2 IP, 10 H, 3 ER, 3 K; Rome 1.1 IP, H, 2 K; Owens IP, 3 H, 2 ER, K.

Hitting

Sequim — Rome 3-3, 2B, HR, 4 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 2 SB; Kirner 2 2B, 3-5 2 R, 3 RBI; Giddings 2-3, 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SB; Green 2-5, 2B, 5 RBIs, SB.