TACOMA - Darian Grimm's walk off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning delivered a 5-4 Class 3A non league fast pitch home softball win for defending Class 3A champion Wilson against current Seamount champion and undefeated Kennedy Catholic on Wednesday, May 8, as both squads built momentum for post season play.
"We try to schedule quality non league opponents," said Lancer head coach Dino Josie. "Wilson is always well coached. "This was a well played game. There was good defense, pitching and hitting. We have seven freshmen and three sophomores, so this bodes well for now and in the years to come. I feel very good about how the girls competed well. They showed lots of toughness and had quality at bats."
Kennedy Catholic wielded the hammer early. With one out in the top of the first inning, Miranda Goff drew a base on balls to bring Sierra Baines to the plate. Seeing a pitch to her liking on a 1-and-1 count, Baines turned on the ball and connected for home run that was gone on contact with the ball rising over the left field fence to send the Lancers into a 2-0 lead.
"I just wanted to start a rally," observed Baines. "I just tried to deliver. When I hit it, it just felt right. We're excited to see where we can go."
KC added to its lead in the third inning. Goff lined a one-out single to left field that was followed by a Baines double into the left center field gap. One out later, Delaney Knox flipped an RBI singles just over the left side of the infield to increase the Lancer lead to 3-0.
In the fourth inning, Haley Kormanik lashed a base hit and eventually scored on a throwing error by the Ram catcher and Kennedy Catholic's lead became 4-0.
Lancer pitcher Kate Lewis were strongly tested by Wilson threats in the second and third innings, but were able to hold the rams off the scoreboard.
Wilson showed how tough it is to keep a good team down by finally breaking through for a run in the bottom of the third inning when Carsen Stanley crushed a solo homer far over the left field fence.
A walk and a bad hop single in the infield opened the door for a pair of Ram runs in the fifth inning before Wilson tied the encounter at 4-4 on a Sinclair Gomes run-scoring single in the sixth to set the stage for Grimm's game winning blast.
"We hit really well," said an upbeat Lewis. "We hustled, competed and worked our butts off. This was excellent because it showed we can compete."
Maggie Gallagher helped the Kennedy Catholic offense by batting 3-for-4 with a double and triple while Baines was 3-for-4, including a double, triple and two RBI.
Wilson went on to capture the 3A sub-district title at Boise Creek Six-Plex in Enumclaw while Kennedy Catholic (18-3) lost a 9-0 game to Bonney Lake before being edged out, 7-6, by Peninsula. on Thursday, May 9.
