Cascade softball team rolling toward league championship

The Cascade softball team is eyeing a second straight Caribou Trail League regular season championship. Cascade (7-1) and Okanogan (6-1) were tied for the top spot in the league standings. The two teams have split the season series, with Cascade wining 12-2 and Okanogan winning 4-3 on March 31 in Dryden.
The rubber match between the two teams was April 24 in Okanogan. Results were not available before press time. The winner of that game is the likely league champion.
Cascade had three games last week, two of which were non-league. The Kodiaks beat Omak 11-1 in a home match on April 18. The Kodiaks put three runs on the board in the first, thanks in part of 2-run Kaija Lovelady homer.
The Kodiaks tacked on five runs in the fifth, highlighted by an Andrea Sorensen squeeze bunt RBI single. Cascade scored two more runs in the sixth to end the game.
“It was nice to get off to a good start today on senior day. Sometimes teams will be a little overcome by emotion on this day. Getting off to a good start helped get everyone focused on the game. It was great to honor our three seniors (Rylee Jacobson, Andrea Sorensen, and Colby West) before the game and with a solid performance,” said Cascade Head Coach Todd Gilbert.  
Sarah Paulson picked up the win, going up 6 innings, giving up 1 earned run on 4 hits with 9 strikeouts and no walks. Paulson had a big day at the plate too, going 3-for-4 with 5 RBIs. Lovelady was 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs.
Cascade beat Naches Valley 10-0 on April 19. The Kodiaks jumped out a 5-0 lead in the third inning, then tacked on four more runs in the fourth. The game ended in the sixth with a Paulson triple that scored Lovelady.
“We didn’t have a lot of hits in the one, four, and Kaija had three of them. However, they mostly came with runners in scoring position. We also took advantage of 7 walks and 2 hit batters. Sometimes you have to be willing to take a walk and that was the case today,” Gilbert said.
Paulson pitched 6 innings, giving up no runs, 2 hits with 11 strikeouts, 2 walks, 1 hit batter. Lovelady was 3-for-4 with 5 RBIs.
Cascade’s game last Saturday at Sultan was postponed by rain. No makeup date has been announced. This late in the season, it is unlikely the game would be made up. On Friday, Cascade plays at Cashmere.
Ian Dunn can be reached at 548-5286 or editor@leavenworthecho.com.