by Kurt Howard

Foster girls’ softball team played host to Evergreen on Friday, May 3rd for a Seamount Conference game played at Tukwila Community Center. This was the last regular season game for both teams. Foster came into the game with a 5-win, 8-loss conference record while Evergreen was at 3 wins and 10 losses. The first time these teams met, Foster won the contest over Evergreen, 11-6.

Evergreen was up to bat first. In that inning, they sent six batters to the plate and scored two runs.

In the bottom of the first inning Evergreen’s catcher and team captain, Pulemau Savusa threw out Foster’s Veronica Sun at second base and Alexia Barlow at third base for attempting to steal.

Coach Angeles commented on Foster’s speedster Alexia Barlow being thrown out. “I think when we threw her out it kind of set the tone. I don’t think they were quite as aggressive after that.” So if one play can change a team’s momentum, then that could have been it.

Evergreen would go on to score one run in the 2nd, two in the 5th, and four in the 6 th inning. Evergreen led by a score of 9-0 in the 6th before Foster even got on the board. Evergreen looked like they were in cruise control, doing the things they should, as Foster just didn’t seem to have an answer.

Well, it wasn’t until the bottom of the 6th inning that Foster got their momentum going. They were at the top of their batting order and things started clicking. They sent all nine of their players up to bat and scored 4 runs. Now this looked like a team that just would not go away quietly!

Evergreen did not score in the top of the 7th, but was Foster capable of a comeback win?

Again, Foster was at the top of their batting order, just where they wanted to be. But, to the dismay of the team and their fans, they were only able to score one run in that inning. Their comeback ended up being too little, too late as Evergreen defeated Foster by a score of 9-5.

Before the game, Coach Angeles told his pitcher Tori Mulitauopele, “If you throw strikes, we win!” Well, I guess he was spot on with that statement. He also told me, "Our team came out with some motivation because Foster is a little higher up in our league standings and they played well and I’m proud of them.”

It’s interesting to note that only one player on coach Angeles’ team has any real softball experience. That is left fielder Keiki Waiau, who has played at PacWest. That’s why it’s important for Evergreen to have a JV team, he said; it’s a good way to teach fundamentals before getting up to the varsity level.

“It’s been a fun year”, coach Angeles said. “This was our last league game and now we go to the sub-district tournament. I will be losing 5 or 6 seniors from this team so we’ll see what happens next year.”

Coach Angeles also had something to say about Foster's pitcher Veronica Sun. He knows her very well, because her family lived next door to him at one time. He remembers playing catch with Veronica and her sister Venseca when they were growing up. “She's a good pitcher and a good athlete”, added coach Angeles.

Foster’s coach Shauna Briggs has been with her team for five years. In the past, Foster has not had a winning record; last year they won only one game. They had to come up with other ways to have fun, so they focused on honoring the other teams, their opponents, and finding ways to focus on sportsmanship.

“At the beginning of the game, we all run over and give them snacks for coming,” coach Briggs said. “At the end of every home game, our girls have made ‘Player of the Game’ t-shirts for the other teams, just to honor them. They run over and call out whatever player our team voted on and give them the t-shirt.” No wonder the coaches from the other teams always say, you’re our favorite team to play. They feed them and honor them - nice!

Coach Briggs also commented on her center fielder, Alexia Barlow. “She's a cheerleader, with a big sparkly bow, who likes to roll around in the dirt. She is my only girl who can figure out the popup slide. Most of the time when the catcher throws down, she's already slid and popped up by the time the ball gets there.”

Thus ends another softball regular season with the playoffs about to begin. Both Foster and Evergreen qualified to play in the 2A Sub-District Softball Tournament to be held at Boise Creek Six-Plex in Enumclaw on Friday, May 10. Foster will play Franklin Pierce and Evergreen plays Fife, both games are scheduled at 4:00pm. Get out and support your team!

For more information, including a map and directions, go to the link below.
http://www.seamountathletics.com/tournament.php?tournament_id=889&sport…

GREAT NEWS FOR FOSTER SOFTBALL! They have a brand new softball field. The first game to be played on their new field will be against Fife, on Wednesday, May 8th at 4pm. This game was scheduled so they could have a senior celebration on the new field, along with a BBQ following the game. Coach Briggs has been trying for five years to get a softball field, and now they finally have it.