By Gerardo Bolong

With great joy and super confidence, the Seattle Christian girls Class 1A Tri-District softball champions prepared to embark for Richland for a Friday, May 30, opening round state tournament game.

At the 2014 Tri-District 1/2/3 championship game held at Janicki Fields in Sedro Wooley on May 24, the Nisqually League champions (14-3 overall) edged out Mt. Baker 8-7 in a back-and-forth battle.

Mt. Baker scored a run in the first inning and a trio of tallies in the third inning before a Seattle Christian four-spot tied the game at 4-4 after three complete innings. The Warriors from SeaTac edged ahead with a single run only to have Mt. Baker knock three more runs home.

Seattle Christian answered back to tie the score at 7-7 after six innings. Lisa Kumasaka tripled home the winning run on a double in the eighth inning. Pitcher Kumasaka worked her way through 30 warnings for illegal pitches. The interpretation had something to do with the umpire believing she was not dragging her foot during the pitches. Kumasaka batted 4-for-5 with a triple and two RBI. Alyssa Baucom batted 3-for-4, including four RBI while Taelor Willhoite batted 2-for-4 with two RBI and a double.

"We play the No. 4 seed Medical Lake (at Columbia Playfields in Richland)," said head coach Rick Ronish. "Our motto going in is still to do what we do. We've had a six game winning streak. Five had playoff implications and we had two extra inning games. The last two weeks have prepared us for what we're going to see this weekend. We want to keep putting the ball in play and run the bases hard."

Seattle Christian was the Nisqually League champion with two key victories against Cedar Park Christian (Bothell).

Experienced as well as new varsity players relished the thought of playing at state.

"I feel good about playing those extra innings," said Kumasaka. "All the players are coming together as a team. We just need to keep the energy up and play as a team."

Junior Alyssa Baucom reflected upon the championship game and looked ahead.

"That was a crazy game," she said. "We kept fighting through it. To be successful we just need to stick together as a team and play as we practice."

In her first varsity year, freshman Carlee Ronish was especially happy.
"Going to state is exciting," said Ronish. "The team worked really hard together, cheering each other on, even from the bench. I think we'll be competitive with the other teams (at state)."

Tri-district 1A champion players are Mariah May (12), Lindsy Ronish (12), Alyssa Baucom (11), Taelor Willhoite (11), Abby Hay (10), Megan Holmberg (10), Erika Kaler (10), Mikayla Kogle (10), Lisa Kumasaka (10), Hannah Ruffcorn (10), Lexi Bates (9), Grace Harwell (9), Makenzie May (9)), Jordan Miller (9), Carlee Ronish (9) and Natalie Vittitow (9).
Head coach Rick Ronish is assisted by Dick Ronish, Randy Ronish, Brian Kumasaka, Scott Hay, Molli Ronish and Brendan Ronish.