BY Gerardo Bolong
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Three first inning runs catapulted the 4A Mt. Rainier High School girls fast-pitch team into a 4-2 non league home win against 2A Highline on Fri., March 16.
Although the visiting Pirates put on some late inning pressure, the Rams dented the scoreboard enough in the opening frame to provide enough to hold on.
"I'm proud of how they played," said Ram head coach Shawn Metzger. "There was great defense and good pitching. It was a fun game."
Mt. Rainier earned what would eventually be the winning runs in its first at bat.
With one out, Nicole Pham knocked a single through the left side of the infield and promptly adavanced to second base on a wild pitch. Molly McCabe then drew a walk to give Marissah Banuelos the chance to slam a two-run double to left centerfield. Carley Bonds completed the three-spot with a slashing double down the left field line.
The rest of the game featured pitching and defense mode from both squads.
Neither team scored in the following three innings.
Consecutive one-out walks to Ashlee Stacy and Sienna Herrera in the fourth inning set up the Pirates, but the runners were stranded.
In the top of the fifth inning, HHS threatened again with one out. Tabby Tauola singled through the middle for Highline's first hit followed by a walk and hit batter. Once again there was no finishing hit to plate runs.
A two-out lightning strike in the bottom of the inning provided the Rams with another tally. McCabe walked ahead of a Banuelos powerful RBI double to stretch the Mt. Rainier margin to 4-0.
Highline fought back in the top of the sixth inning to create a comeback attempt. Herrera walked to lead off the frame before advancing to second base on a wild pitch.
Elysia Tello singled for the first Pirate hit before Susy Oseguera walked to fill the bases.
An ensuing wild pitch sent Herrera rambling home for the first HHS run.
Later in the inning with one out, Tello scrambled home on a strike out when the MRHS catcher lost the ball but the Pirate rally went no further.
Herrera singled through the middle with two outs in the Pirate seventh, but Ram pitcher Kyla Flynn induced the next batter into a fly out to end the game.
Flynn earned the win on a complete game three-hitter.
"I tried to find the plate with my drop curve," Flynn said. "I got a little tired at the end."
After the first inning, HHS hurler Herrera found her rhythm.
"I finally found my groove," she said. "It's our first game of the season."
For Highline head coach Kevin Tessandore, the effort from his 10-player squad was exemplary.
"We have four players ineligible," he concluded, "The girls played with a lot of character."
Banuelos paced all batters with a 3-of-3 performance that included two doubles and three RBI.
