PORT ANGELES — Port Angeles was timely in its 4-1 nonleague victory over West Central District 3 foe White River in the first varsity softball game played Saturday at the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe’s Billy Whiteshoes Memorial Park.
In a rematch of last season’s district championship game won 13-2 by the Roughriders, Port Angeles out-executed a well-respected opponent in all facets of the game.
“We played a really good game,” Riders coach Randy Steinman said. “I was happy with my pitchers, we were spot-on there. And we executed some bunts, made some steals and we got some timely hits at the plate.
Port Angeles starter Callie Hall walked two of the first three Hornets’ hitters, but settled down to get out of the opening inning unscathed.
The Riders staked Hall to a 2-0 lead in the home half of the inning as leadoff hitter Sierra Robinson and Ella Holland each got true bounces on the diamond’s artificial turf infield and beat out bunt singles to reach base.
Robinson stole second and third and scored on Natalie Steinman’s sacrifice fly, while Holland came home on a groundout by Olivia Nevaril.
Hall struck out the side in the second, finding her groove on the mound.
Hall allowed just one hit in her five innings pitched, a fourth-inning home run to center field by University of Washington commit Megan Vandegrift that Robinson came close to nabbing as it went over the fence.
Hall finished with six strikeouts and five walks, working out of a bases-loaded situation later in the inning.
“Her pitches were really moving and it was hard for them to make contact,” Port Angeles second-baseman Natalie Steinman said. “She was throwing a lot of stuff and everything was working for her. She hit her spots.”
Randy Steinman said the walks were acceptable because of how closely the Riders pitching staff is focusing on control.
“We walked a few too many, but that’s going to happen because we are really working on having them hit those spots and not panic and throw it out over the plate,” he said. “So we are going to walk a few, but we played some solid defense, got out of those jams and it turned out great.”
Port Angeles added a run in the third when Hope O’Connor singled to center and Brennan Gray followed up with an RBI double to the fence in right-center.
The Riders scored an insurance run when Robinson reached base on a bunt, stole second and third and came home when Olivia Nevaril popped a single to shallow right field.
White River intentionally walked the slugging Steinman to get to Nevaril, but the sophomore cleanup hitter stung the Hornets with her second RBI.
“They walked Natalie and Olivia comes up and gets a base hit to get that last run and punish them there,” Randy Steinman said. “There was a lot to like from both teams, there weren’t any errors, we only made one mistake in the zone [Vandegrift’s homer].”
O’Connor pitched the final two innings, mixing speeds well to keep White River hitters off balance.
She allowed one hit and struck out four of the seven batters she faced.
“They start to get used to it [the starting pitcher’s style] and we bring Hope in and it’s tough for them to adjust to a different speed and the different pitches she throws,” Natalie Steinman said.
Steinman, who homered in the district title game last year, was pleased with how this year’s Riders handled the Hornets.
“I’m really happy with what we did, because we were coming out like, ‘It’s White River, a team we’ve been pretty even with and we know they are talented. So I’m really pleased with how tough we played.”
It was the first time the Port Angeles team had played on the turf infield (grass outfield) at Billy Whiteshoes Memorial Park, named for the late Billy “Whiteshoes” Charles, and it was a success — with a large crowd, good weather and an entertaining contest.
The facility, which opened last summer, is named for Charles, who died in 1996 and was the field’s former caretaker and an advocated for youth sports.
“First time ever on the field, we haven’t practiced or done anything down here and it’s just a huge plus,” Randy Steinman said. “White River was so happy to be coming up here to get a game in because they got rained out all last week.
“This is a great option and we appreciate [facility manager] Warren [Stevens] and the Lower Elwha tribe for letting us come down and use this park.”
Port Angeles 4, White River 1
White River 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 — 1 2 0
PA 2 1 0 0 1 0 X— 4 8 0
WP: Hall LP: Pipitone
Pitching
White River — Pipitone 6IP, 8H, 4ER,
Port Angeles — Hall 5IP, H, ER, 6K, 5BB; O’Connor 2IP, H, 4K.
Hitting
White River — Vandegrift 1-1, HR, RBI, 2BB; Wallen 1-2.
Port Angeles — Nevaril 1-3, 2RBI; Robinson 2-3, 2R, 3SB; Gray 1-2, 2B, RBI; Steinman 1-1, 2B, IBB, Sac, RBI; Politika 1-1; Holland 1-2, R.
