FORKS — The youthful Forks softball team split a SWL-Evergreen Division doubleheader with Rainier recently.
Rainier won the first game 11-1 in five innings, but the Spartans, with only one senior, bounced back to capture the nightcap 15-4 in five innings.
Forks earned its first league win but now has its back against the wall for the playoffs after losing to what is considered the most beatable team in league in Rainier.
“We will have to upset some teams to make districts,” Forks coach Scott Justus said.
Still, this team is in the learning process and will come back almost intact next year, and then will lose only two players to graduation in 2013, meaning most of the team will be around for the next two years.
The Spartans, who were held to four hits and had eight errors in the first game, exploded for 16 hits with no errors in the second contest.
Alisha Shaw went the distance on the mound in the nightcap, giving up just four runs on seven hits while striking out five and walking just two in five innings.
Jillian Raben had a perfect day at bat, going 5 for 5 with three runs and four stolen bases while Addie Reed went 3 for 4 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored.
Emily Klahn was 1 for 2 with a two-RBI triple.
Freshman Alisha Chase went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and she scored two runs.
Micki Billacana, meanwhile, ripped a bases-loaded triple for the three RBIs, going 1 for 2.
One of Reed’s doubles would have gone for a home run at about any field but the Spartans’ diamond, Justus said.
“We don’t have a fence at our field,” he said. “It would have cleared the fence if we had one.”
Sophomore catcher Courtney Paul and freshman first baseman Sabrina Collins have been playing outstanding defense for the Spartans, Justus said.
“Courtney has been doing a great job for us,” Justus said.
“She has had only one passed ball in the last four games.
“And Sabrina is doing a really nice job for us starting at first base.”
The Spartans next host league foe Montesano today in a doubleheader.
Second Game
Forks 15, Rainier 4
Forks 5 3 1 6 0 — 15 16 0
Rainier 1 0 2 0 1 — 4 7 2
WP- Shaw
Pitching Statistics
Forks: Shaw 5 IP, 4 R, 7 H, 5 K, 2 BB.
Hitting Statistics
Forks: Raben 5-5, 3 R, 4 SB; Reed 3-4, 2 2B, 2 RBIs, R; Klahn 1-2, 3B, 2 RBIs; Chase 2-4, 2 RBIs, 2 R; Billacana 1-2, 3B, 3 RBIs.
