STATE SOFTBALL: Roughriders finish fourth at state

SELAH — The Port Angeles softball team finished fourth in the state after winning three out of five games at the 2A state tournament this weekend.

One of the losses was a heartbreaker as the Riders lost 4-2 to the No. 1 team in the state, Sedro-Woolley, in the state semifinals in a hard-fought contest. The Riders held a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning after Lexie Smith belted a two-run home run in the fifth. Sedro-Woolley, which is 25-1 overall, retook the lead with a three-run home run by Lola Wylie in the sixth inning.

Heidi Leitz went the distance, allowing just five hits. Sedro-Woolley went on to win the state championship later in the day, beating Tumwater 4-2.

After the Sedro-Woolley loss, the Riders bounced back in the consolation bracket, beating Aberdeen 6-2 behind two home runs and six RBIs from Ava-Anne Sheahan. Sheahan hit a two-run home run in the first inning and then a grand slam in the third. Leitz and Lynzee Reid gave up seven hits combined to hold the lead, though Aberdeen threatened in the seventh inning, loading the bases with only one out. Leitz threw out the runner at home on a comebacker to the pitcher and the final out was record by first baseman Lexie Smith on a line drive.

Kennedy Rognlien also hit a triple in the game and scored two runs.

Amazingly, the Riders played North Kitsap a fifth time this season in the third-place game, falling in a slugfest 18-11.

Port Angeles belted five home runs in the game. Leitz hit two homers, going 3-for-4 on the day with three RBIs. Sheahan hit her second grand slam of the of the day, finishing with 10 RBIs on the day.

Lexie and Lindsay Smith each hit two-run home runs and both went 2-for-4. Olympic League MVP candidate Natalie Robinson was 2-for-3 in her last game for the Riders and Ali Money was 1-for-1.

Leitz, Reid, Sophia Ritich and Maryrose Halberg all pitched.

The Vikings went 3-2 on the season against Port Angeles. The rivals played twice in league, splitting two, then the Riders won an added rubber match to determine the Olympic League No. 1 seed. North Kitsap came back and beat Port Angeles at the bidistrict and state tournaments.

On Friday, Port Angeles (23-5) beat Shadle Park in a walkoff in the Roughriders’ state tournament opener. In the quarterfinals Friday evening, they beat Lynden 4-1. It was the final game for seniors Robinson and Ali Money.

Port Angeles 6, Aberdeen 2

PA 0 2 4 0 0 0 0 — 6 5 4

Ab. 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 — 2 4 1

Pitching

Port Angeles — Leitz 2.2 IP, H, 4 K; Reid 4.1 IP, 3 H, 3 K.

Hitting

Port Angeles — Rognlien 1-3, 3B, 2 R; Sheahan 2-3, 2 HR, 2 R, 6 RBI.

Sedro-Woolley 4, Port Angeles 2

PA 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 — 2 2 2

SW 0 0 0 1 0 3 x — 4 5 1

Pitching

Port Angeles — Leitz 6 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 5 K

Hitting

Port Angeles — Lexie Smith 1-3, HR, 2 RBI, R; Sheahan 1-2, R, BB, SB.

Forks at 2B

Meanwhile, Forks bounced back from a loss Friday to win a consolation game Saturday morning, 15-5 over Okanogan, with both Bailey and Keira Johnson having big games.

Bailey Johnson hit a triple and had four RBIs while scoring two runs. Keira Johnson hit two doubles, scored two runs and drove one in.

Lizzy Soto was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs and Fynlie Peters was 3-for-4 with an RBI.

Kaidence Rigby hit two doubles and went 3-for-4, scoring three runs and driving one in. Brooklynn Windle and Chloe Gaydeski each had two hits and two RBIs.

Forks then lost 14-10 to Kittitas as the Spartans pounded out 13 hits but couldn’t slow down Kittitas. Rigby had another big game, going 4-for-4 with a double, Peters was 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs, while Gaydeski was 2-for-4 with a double. Forks is done with its season with a record of 17-8.

The Spartans lost a wild tournament opener 17-15 to Warden on Friday. Warden made it to the state championship game, losing 13-5 to Adna.

Forks finished its season with a record of 17-8. It was the final game for seniors Soto, Keira Johnson and Rigby but otherwise this team remains young.

Kittitas 14, Forks 10

Forks 1 2 1 0 4 0 2 — 10 13 6

Kitt. 1 6 0 4 0 3 x — 14 14 3

Pitching

Forks — Gaydeski 6 IP, 14 H, 12 ER, 5 K.

Hitting

Forks — Peters 3-4, HR, R, 3 RBI; Rigby 4-4 2B, R, 3 RBI, SB; Gaydeski 2-4, 2B, R, RBI; K. Johnson 1-3, 2 R, BB, SB; Neel 1-3, R, BB, 2 SB.

Forks 15, Okanogan 5

Oka. 2 0 3 0 0 x x — 5 6 3

Forks 2 2 2 0 9 X — 15 17 5

Pitching

Forks — Soto 2.1 IP, 5 H, 4 ER; Gaydeski 2.2 IP, H, K.

Hitting

Forks — B. Johnson 2-3, 3B, 4 RBIs; Ridgy 3-4, 2 2B, 3 R, RBI; K. Johnson 2-4, 2 2B, 2 R, RBI; Soto 3-3, 2 R, 2 RBI; Peters 3-4, RBI; Gaydeski 2-4, 2 RBI; Windle 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI.

Hitting

Forks —