By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

West Seattle overcame a slow start to overwhelm Holy Names, 10-2, Monday and run its overall girls fastpitch softball season record to 16-3.

The win at the Southwest Athletic Complex upper field was the seventh in a row for the Wildcats, who improved to 11-2 in Metro League divisional play and remain in a three-way tie for first place with Ballard and Bainbridge.

If the tie holds up through the final game of the season -- a 3:30 p.m. home game at the SWAC against Eastside Catholic on Tuesday for West Seattle -- the Wildcats will play both Ballard and Bainbridge in four-inning tiebreaker games starting at 4 p.m. Thursday at Rainier Beach.

The actual Metro League tournament runs next Monday, Tuesday and Friday at the SWAC lower field.
"We've been on a roll lately," said West Seattle head coach Trevor Leopold. "The keys lately have been pitching with Gabby Wenn pitching. She got hit in the face with a line drive against Bainbridge and was sick a couple of games, but she's healthy now. Plus our hitting has improved significantly. We've had six different players hit home runs this year, so we have six people who can hit it out of the park."

Holy Names took the early lead this Monday on a home run, then West Seattle tied it in the bottom of the inning as Lucy Mead singled and came around on a Sam Hemmert walk and an RBI single by Wenn.
Holy Names answered with a run in the top of the fourth for a 2-1 lead before West Seattle exploded for four runs each in the bottom of the fourth and fifth and one in the sixth.

The Wildcats were aided in the fourth by three walks and three hit batters plus a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly by Wenn.

West Seattle broke out the bats in the fifth.

Emma Atkinson led off with a triple to left field and scored on a wild pitch before Rachel Devore and Carynia Smith walked and Analisa Ursino, Mead and Hemmert all singled and Wenn hit into an error.
Ursino homered into the net beyond the center field fence for the one run in the sixth.
Mead finished with a 3-for-3 day with two walks and Ursino hit 2-for-4.

"That was a fun game," said Leopold. "Even when we're down we fight back."