The Cascade Kodiak fastpitch softball team is off to their best start in years. With wins over Ephrata and Mount Baker last week, the Kodiaks, a fantastic mixture of experience and youth, improved to 8-1 on the season, 3-0 in Caribou Trail League play.
On April 4, Cascade made up a game at Ephrata, which was rained out in March. Perhaps the Tigers wished the game would have been cancelled as the Kodiaks rolled 16-1.
Cascade jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the second inning, thanks to a triple from Sierra Bittle, home run from Olivia Stoddard and double by Kaija Lovelady. The Kodiaks exploded for five runs in the third on five hits, on a triple by Sarah Pickel, single by Bittle, double by Stoddard, single by Andrea Sorensen and double by Lovelady.
The Kodiaks scored three more in the fourth and four more in the fifth to end the game via the 10-run mercy rule.
“Truh Merriman controlled the Ephrata offense only allowing four hits through the five-inning game. We had solid defense behind Truh today. We made all of the routine plays. The girls played very relaxed out there today. Another quality win for Cascade,” said Cascade Head Coach Ken Krous.
Merriman pitched 5 innings, giving up 1 earned run on 4 hits with 1 strikeout and 4 walks. Lovelady was 3-for-5 with 2 doubles and 4 RBIs. Stoddard was 2-for-2 with 2 runs, double, HR and RBI. Pickel was 2-for-4 with 2 runs, triple and RBI. Bittle was 2-for-3 with 2 runs, triple and RBI.
On April 7, Cascade hosted Mount Baker for a double header. It turned out to be a real back-and-forth affair in the first game, with the Kodiaks needing a seventh inning rally for the win.
The visitors came out swinging against Cascade ace Sarah Paulson, scoring three runs in the first inning on two hits, including a home run by Kennedy West. Cascade score a run in the bottom of the second to cut the lead to 3-1, on hits from Stoddard, Madeline Schiefelbein and sac bunt by Sorensen.
Mount Baker went up 4-1 in the third on a walk and a hit. Cascade cut the lead to 4-3 on home runs by Merriman and Pickel in the bottom of the third. The visitors scored twice in the sixth on three singles to go up 6-3.
The Kodiaks came right back with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to 6-5. Stoddard homered, while Sorensen and Paulson had singles. Mount Baker loaded the bases in the seventh, but Cascade held.
In the bottom of the seventh, still down 6-5, Cascade rallied for the 7-6 win on singles by Schiefelbein and Sorensen.
“Paulson went the distance in the circle striking out eight and walking three. This was another solid come from behind win for the Kodiaks,” Krous said.
Pickel was 3-for-3 with a run, double, HR and RBI. Schiefelbein was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Stoddard was 2-for-3 with 2 runs, HR and RBI.
With Merriman in the circle for the second game, Cascade cruised for the five inning, 12-2 victory. Mount Baker opened up a 1-0 lead in the first on a hit and an error. Cascade took a 4-1 lead with four runs in the bottom of the first, on singles from Lovelady and Bittle and double by Stoddard.
Mount Baker scored again in the second to cut the lead to 4-2 on a hit, two walks and an error. In bottom of the frame, Cascade scored twice to go up 6-2 on a single by Lovelady and a two-run homer by Pickel.
In the fourth, Cascade took a 7-2 lead on a double by Merriman, single by Pickel and sac bunt by Rylee Jacobsen. The Kodiak scored five runs in the fifth. Pickel had a grand slam home run. A single by Bittle and double by Stoddard put the winning run on third base. Consecutive walks pushed the winning run across via the 10-run mercy rule.
“Merriman went the distance in the circle surrendering two runs on two hits while striking out four and walking three. The bats stayed hot in game two and we played solid defense behind a good pitching effort by Truh,” Krous said.
Pickel had another huge game, going 3-for-3 with a triple, 2HR and 6 RBIs. Bittle was 3-for-3 with 2 runs. Stoddard was 2-for-4 with 2 doubles. Lovelady was 2-for-4 with 2 runs and RBI.
On April 11, Cascade played at Cashmere (1-0, 2-4). Results were not available before press time. On Saturday, the Kodiaks play a double header at Chelan. Next Tuesday, they are at Omak.
Ian Dunn can be reached at 548-5286 or editor@leavenworthecho.com.
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