Courtesy Article by Gerardo Bolong

When the Seattle Christian Warrior softball team entered spring break, it was playing solid team ball.

Upon the team's return to action, the same can still be said.

Showing good patience at the plate and killing speed on the base paths, Seattle Christian also utilized outstanding outfield action under bright skies to win its second shutout game in a row in Nisqually 1A League 9-0 home win against the Bellevue Christian Vikings on Thurs., April 16.

"We took care of business and the girls were solid," said Warrior head coach Rick Ronish. "I was a little nervous, at first, because we had beaten them soundly (20-0) on Tuesday. We're not that much better than them."

On Thursday, the Warriors opened up like they would batter their opponents into submission with an early stoppage.

Makenzie May led off the first inning with a walk and Kelli Ronish out ran a fumbled ground ball. A misplayed fielder's choice grounder scored a run. Hannah Ruffcorn's walk loaded the bases for Alyssa Baucom to drill a ground ball just between the third baseman and the left field foul line, resulting in a two-run single for a 3-0 lead.

Still batting with no outs, Seattle Christian's Carlee Ronish walked to load the bases. One strikeout later, Megan Holmberg forced home a tally on a walk before Madisen Fors did the same for another run as the Warriors eventually notched a six-spot on the Vikings with 12 batters going to the plate.

Bellevue Christian tightened up its pitching and defense to keep Seattle Christian from scoring again until the fourth inning. Left-handed hitting Kelli Ronish dropped a perfect bunt single to the left of home plate as the lead off batter and quickly scurried to second base on a wild pitch. Lisa Kumasaka's infield ground out advanced Ronish to third base from where she scored on an infield error one out later.

The final tallies occurred in the bottom of the sixth by way of Kumasaka's RBI single and Hannah Ruffcorn's bases loaded walk. On the verge of being kayoed in five innings, the Vikings pulled off a pitcher Kahe Pippel to catcher Jenson Tarber to third baseman Annie Whitten double play to force the issue to a full seven innings for the visitors.

Warrior pitcher Kumasaka spun a three-hit shut out with 10 strike outs, two walks and one hit batter.

She escaped a one out first and third base situation in the third inning by inducing a pop fly out to second base and a fly ball out to right field.

Bellevue Christian threatened in the fifth on a walk followed by a strikeout. The next batter doubled, but left fielder Erika Kaler threw out the runner trying to advance to third base as Carlee Ronish out down the tag. The inning ended on a pop fly to Kaler.

"I was pretty consistent and used the change up often," said Kumasaka who was also 1-for-4 at the bat including two RBI and one run scored. "We've picked up right where we left off (before spring break)."

Shortstop Kelli Ronish, who was 1-of-3 with two runs scored and second inning RBI, agreed.

"We got back to it quick," she sad. "It was a little hard because of beating them so strongly on Tuesday, but we just played our game."

Baucom scored a run in addition to her two RBI.

For BC, Erin Smith batted 2-of-3 with a double and Kahe Pippel was 1-for-1.
Outfielders a Kaler, Makenzie May and Madisen Fors patrolled the field consistently.

At Bellevue on Tues., Seattle Christian left runners on base early and led only 1-0 after three innings before pouring home nine runs in the fourth inning and 10 in the fifth for a 20-0 five-inning knockout.

Baucom pitched a two-hitter with eight strike outs, allowing one walk wile also going 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI, a double and two runs scored. Kumasaka batted 2-for-2 with a home run, three RBI and four runs scored. in a game of big hitting, Carlee Ronish batted 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Mikayla Kogle was 1-for-one with three runs batted in and Taelor Willhoite had a 1-for-4 day including a triple, three RBI and one run scored.

Seattle Christian visits Klahowya on April 17 before home games against Cascade Christian (April 21) and Vashon Island (April 23).