Oregon high school softball semifinals highlights; vote for Tuesday's top star
By Dan Brood
The Oregon high school softball playoffs continued Tuesday with state semifinals in all classes. Here's a look at some of the highlights.
Note: Entries are based on information provided by coaches. Don't see any details for your game? Email some notes/stats to danbrood91@gmail.com.
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Class 6A semifinals
Tigard 6, McNary 3
Tigard powered its way to a 5-1 third-inning lead and held off a seventh-inning rally attempt by the Celtics to get the victory at Tigard High School.
The Tigers, getting solo home runs from senior Kani Korok and junior Karen Spadafora and a three-run double by sophomore Hailey White, held a 6-1 lead after five innings.
McNary got a two-run homer from sophomore Ali Martinez in the top of the seventh, trimming the gap to 6-3, but the Celtics couldn’t get any closer.
Spadafora went 2 for 3 with a run and two RBIs. White went 2 for 3 with three RBIs. Korok scored twice. Sophomore Ella Dardis and junior Nozomi Akin each scored once.
Tigard senior Makenna Reid gave up three runs on six hits while striking out 11 and walking three.
For McNary, Martinez went 2 for 2 with a double, a home run, two runs and two RBIs. Sophomore Aspynn Westby went 2 for 4 with an RBI.
The Tigers, who improved to 28-3, will face Three Rivers League rival Oregon City in the Class 6A state championship game Saturday at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene.
McNary finished its season 24-6.
Oregon City 4, Bend 0 (9 innings)
The Pioneers scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning to break a scoreless tie and get the victory at Bend High School.
Oregon City sophomore Lily Riley continued her strong postseason pitching run, giving up no runs on one hit while striking out 15 and walking two in nine innings. Riley also drove in a run in the ninth inning.
Sophomore Chloe Grimmer had one of the big hits for the Pioneers with a single that plated freshman Chloe Stromme and senior Phoebe Borkus. Stromme also drove in a run in the ninth.
For Bend, sophomore Addisen Fisher gave up four runs (one earned) on five hits while striking out 21 and walking two in her nine innings.
Junior Sophia Weathers doubled for the Lava Bears’ only hit.
Oregon City, which improved to 22-7, will face Three Rivers League foe Tigard in the Class 6A state championship game Saturday at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene.
Bend finished its season 29-2.
Class 5A semifinals
Pendleton 4, Dallas 0
A magnificent pitching performance by senior Sauren Garton and a four-run fourth inning was enough to get the win for the Buckaroos in Pendleton.
Garton, in getting the complete-game shutout, gave up one hit while striking out 19 and walking one.
Senior Brie Youncs had one of the key plays for Pendleton in its four-run fourth with a single that drove in freshman Josie Jenness. Youncs scored later in the inning on a wild pitch. The Buckaroos had just two hits in the contest. Garton had the other hit.
For Dallas, sophomore pitcher Kandence Morrison gave up one earned run on two hits while striking out eight and walking two.
Pendleton, which moved to 27-2, will face Wilsonville in the Class 5A state championship game Saturday at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene.
Dallas finished its season 19-8.
Wilsonville 1, Lebanon 0
Behind Maddie Erickson’s pitching, one run was all the host Wildcats needed to get the victory and earn their first state championship game appearance.
Erickson, a right-hander, threw a no-hitter for Wilsonville, striking out 13 and walking two in her seven innings.
The Wildcats tallied the game’s only run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sophomore Grace Wilson scored when Lebanon committed an error following a single by sophomore Calli Weaving.
Wilsonville had four hits, with sophomore Maddie Holly, Wilson and sophomore Talia Valdez also having singles.
For Lebanon, junior pitcher Alivia Holden gave up one unearned run on four hits while striking out four and walking two.
Wilsonville, which moved to 27-3, will face Pendleton in the Class 5A state championship game Saturday at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene.
Lebanon finished its season 24-6.
Class 4A semifinals
Marist Catholic 6, Stayton 0
Malia Williams continues her huge senior season for the Spartans, throwing a no-hitter to help lead the team to the home victory.
Williams struck out 14 and walked none. She went 2 for 4 at the plate with two runs.
Junior Paige Doerr hit a home run and scored twice. Sophomore Kellie Schroffner went 2 for 3 with a double and two runs.
Marist Catholic, which moved to 24-3, will face Cascade in the Class 4A state championship game Saturday at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene.
Stayton finished its season 22-5.
Cascade 5, La Grande 3
The Cougars scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break at 3-3 tie and get the victory at Cascade.
Senior Emma Hilfiker had the big hit for Cascade with a double, coming on an 0-2 pitch, that plated freshman Malia Scanlan and senior Jaimy Bangert.
Hilfiker went 2 for 4 with her two-run double and a run. Also for the Cougars, senior second baseman Abby Jeppsen went 2 for 2 with a double, a walk and a run. She also had a tag-out to complete an inning-ending double play in the top of the fifth inning, as well as a key catch in foul territory to end the top of the second. Senior Hannah Walliman went 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs.
Walliman picked up the pitching win. She gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits while striking out six and walking none.
For La Grande, senior Kinzy Bowen hit a two-run homer in the top of the third inning.
Cascade, which moved to 24-4, will take on Marist Catholic in the Class 4A state championship game Saturday at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene.
La Grande finished its season 18-8.
Class 3A semifinals
Yamhill-Carlton 10, Scio 0
Senior Kati Slater threw a two-hitter and scored three times, leading the Tigers to a six-inning victory at Yamhill-Carlton.
Slater, in getting the shutout, struck out 16 and walked four. At the plate, she went 2 for 2 with two walks and three runs.
Junior Briley Ingram went 3 for 3 with a double, a walk, a run and three RBIs. Junior Kya Ellis scored twice, and freshman Cecelia Petraitis drove in two.
Sophomore Kylee Baumgartner had both hits for Scio, including a double.
The Tigers, who improved to 26-3, will face Burns in the Class 3A state championship contest Friday at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene.
Scio finished its season 19-7.
Burns 7, South Umpqua 1
Junior Mattie Woodbury, batting in the No. 9 spot in the order, belted two home runs to help power the Hilanders to the win at South Umpqua.
Woodbury went 2 for 4 with her two home runs and three RBIs.
Sophomore pitcher Ayla Davies also had a big performance for Burns. She gave up one run on three hits while striking out 17 and walking one. Davies also went 2 for 3 at the plate with a double, a run and an RBI.
Junior Macy Temple had a hit and scored two runs.
For South Umpqua, freshman Mady Pratt had a hit and scored a run. Freshman Haley Twyman had a hit and drove in a run.
Burns, which moved to 29-1, will play Yamhill-Carlton in the Class 3A state championship game Friday at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene.
South Umpqua finished its season 26-1.
Class 2A/1A semifinals
Grant Union/Prairie City 11, Nestucca 1
The Prospectors came back from an early 1-0 deficit in a big way, scoring 11 unanswered runs to get the five-inning home victory.
Sophomore Drew Williams had a huge day for Grant Union/Prairie City, both pitching and hitting. At the plate, she went 4 for 4 with a double and an RBI. In the circle, she gave up one unearned run on four hits while striking out 11 and walking one.
Freshman Savannah Watterson went 5 for 5 for the Prospectors with a double, three runs and four RBIs. Junior Raney Anderson went 2 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs. Senior Riley Robertson went 3 for 3 with a run and two RBIs.
For Nestucca, senior Rachel Strober went 2 for 3 with a run.
Grant Union/Prairie City, which moved to 26-1, will face Lakeview in the Class 2A/1A state championship contest Friday at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene.
Nestucca finished its season 18-4.
Lakeview 2, Kennedy 0
The Honkers, getting runs in the fourth and sixth innings and a complete-game shutout pitching performance from junior Tyler McNeley, got the victory at Kennedy High School.
McNeley gave up one hit while striking out 16 and walking none. She also drove in one of Lakeview’s runs.
Senior Emily Philbert went 2 for 2 with a double, and she scored both of the Honkers’ runs. Junior Annikah Tacchini singled and drove in Lakeview’s other run.
For Kennedy, junior pitcher Jenna Hopkins gave up two runs on five hits while striking out 11 and walking none. Freshman Isabel Berning had the Trojans’ one hit.
Lakeview, which improved to 24-4, will face Grant Union/Prairie City in the Class 2A/1A state championship game Friday at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene.
Kennedy finished its season 19-4.
