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WIAA Class 3A softball roundup: Alli Kimball's sixth-inning home run nets Peninsula first state championship

Kimball breaks tie with her three-run shot to left field, lifting the Seahawks past Snohomish, 4-1, in Lacey

LACEY, Wash. - Minutes before throwing the first pitch of the WIAA Class 3A softball championship game, Peninsula High School's Alli Kimball excitedly shouted to teammates that her final outing was here.

What a memorable performance it was.

The Western Washington University signee tossed a complete-game three-hitter, striking out six - and belting the game-changing three-run home run to lead top-seeded Peninsula past No. 2 Snohomish, 4-1, on Saturday afternoon for its first state softball title in school history.

Fittingly, the game ended on Kimball snaring a line drive back to the mound for the final out as she tossed her glove up and ran toward teammates and coaches.

"She won the game," Seahawks softball coach Mike Paul said. "She threw lights-out. She caps it with a home run. Are you kidding me?"

After the Seahawks rallied past Roosevelt in the morning 3A semifinal game (11-6), Kimball found a place in the bleachers to immediately start her own scouting report of Snohomish.

The Panthers were swinging the bat as well as any team in the tournament - and with their nine seniors had jumped on opponents early and often, building big leads in games.

So, Kimball went right at the veteran hitters, both with velocity and no-hesitation pitching pace.

"That is something when I am up to bat, I get frustrated when pitchers don't give me a chance to think," Kimball said. "I feel that thinking process really helps."

What also helped was the continued power-hitting surge of Malia Coit, who smashed a solo home run to left field in the second at-bat of the game off Snohomish's Skyla Bristol to give the Seahawks a 1-0 lead.

Coit hit a home run in all but one game at the district and state tournaments for the Seahawks.

"I am so lucky I get her back," Paul said.

Avery Clark tied it for the Panthers in the fourth inning with her RBI double down the left-field line. But the Seahawks got an out at the home plate to keep the game tied at 1-1.

Hailey Ruckle led off the sixth inning with a bloop single to right field. Glory Estabrook reached on an infield error.

Two batters later, Kimball pounced on an 0-1 pitch and hit a towering fly ball to left field.

Question was - would it have enough carry to get over the left-center fence?

"At that point. I was like, 'It’s either an out or a home run,'" Kimball said.

The outfielder could not bring the fly ball back, and the ball dropped behind the fence for the decisive blow.

"It was such a big moment," Kimball said. "From that point on, that is when I knew I wanted to be a state champion - and I wanted to make history at Peninsula."

Indeed, she did.