YAKIMA — Quilcene packed up and left the Class 1B state softball tournament for the trip back to the shores of Hood Canal laden with yet another accolade.
The program picked up its fourth consecutive state softball trophy Saturday in an 11-2 win against Almira/Coulee-Hartline and earning third place for the second straight season.
“That trophy case is starting to fill up,” Quilcene coach Mark Thompson said.
“League championships, district championships, state trophies.
“And it’s baseball, softball, volleyball and football.
“We’ve had a great run, and yeah, we might just have to add an extension on there.”
Taking down Almira/Coulee-Hartline provided a measure of revenge as the Warriors had beaten the Rangers (22-3) in the first round of the last four state tournaments.
“To put up 11 against ACH, boy, was that win sweet,” Thompson said.
Battling back from a hard-to-swallow 5-4 state semifinal loss to Pomeroy in extra innings Friday, the Rangers blasted Sunnyside Christian 15-0 earlier Saturday, before taking down the Warriors.
“We were one strike away from being in the state championship,” Thompson said.
“But the way our girls came back after such a disappointment really spoke to their competitiveness and character, and it really says who they are as a team.
“We played the best softball we’ve played in my four years as coach [on Saturday].”
Quilcene opened the tournament by edging the defending champions Liberty Christian 4-3.
Erin Macedo had an RBI double, Katie Bailey tripled and Megan Weller added an RBI single that proved the difference in the contest.
“She played phenomenal at shortstop all weekend, running down short flies to the deep infield, ranging over on ground balls, and she and Katie Bailey were so consistent for us at the plate all weekend,” Thompson said.
In the state semifinal, Quilcene opened up an early 4-0 lead in the first inning before Pomeroy’s seventh-inning comeback.
“All the credit to Pomeroy, they hit the ball on us,” Thompson said.
“We had it down to bases loaded, two-outs, two-strikes and they got a base hit to tie it up. And they won it the next inning.
“The thing that gets me is we had so many opportunities in this game and couldn’t get anything more than those four runs.”
But the Rangers recovered, shaking off what had grown to become an 11-inning scoreless streak by plating a run in the fourth inning against Sunnyside Christian.
“I was starting to lose my patience and I was becoming a little frustrated,” Thompson said.
“But we scored in the fourth and broke through in the sixth inning and got 10 runs to end the game.”
Eighth-grader Abby Weller stepped up against the Knights, according to Thompson.
“She went 4 for 4 in the Sunnyside Christian game and played some great defense,” Thompson said.
Macedo laced a line drive solo home run to left field in the first inning to set the tone against Almira/Coulee-Hartline.
The Rangers missed out on a chance to really open the game up, scoring just one run with a bases-loaded with no outs in the third inning.
“We got it going in the fifth inning when we scored seven runs,” Thompson said.
Macedo had an RBI single and Allison Jones a two-run base hit to boost Quilcene.
Pitcher Bailey Kieffer and the Rangers’ defense kept Almira/Coulee-Hartline down to pick up her second win of the day and third of the tournament.
“Bailey Kieffer just pitched so well for us,” Thompson said.
“She pitched all 28 innings for us and was just as strong at the end as she was at the beginning.
“Nobody worked harder than her and Erin Macedo over the offseason, so it was nice to see that pay off.”
Thompson said his team came prepared to play the game all season long.
“They are just a fun group to work with,” Thompson said.
“A lot of teams talk about character to start their season, and these girls go about their business with character. They compete and they show up to play ball. Not every team does that.
“They have a lot of fun when they play and they enjoy each other. They are a team, all 21 of them.”
Quilcene must replace graduating middle infield starters Megan Weller and Alex Johnsen and reserves Stephanie Brown and Jordan Croyer.
“Look how much success these girls have had,” Thompson said.
“It’s been real neat to watch this program grow.
“We take a step every year. We’ve gone from being 10-runned at state in our first trip and every year we make a jump.
“And the girls coming back, if they want to put in the work they can make the last jump and we can win the championship.
“And these seniors were instrumental for us their whole careers.”
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 57050 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
