By Tim Clinton
SPORTS EDITOR

West Seattle reigns as Metro League girls fastpitch softball tournament champions for the first time ever after beating Ballard by a 5-3 score Friday.

The Wildcats trailed, 2-1, from the first inning until the top of the sixth, when they erupted for four runs.
Gabby Wenn sparked the rally by blasting a majestic home run over the fence in left field at the Southwest Athletic Complex.

Wenn, who is this year's Metro League Most Valuable Player, also won on the mound.

"Gabby really helped herself out with that home run," said West Seattle head coach Trevor Leopold, whose team improved to 18-5 overall.

"I think I finally saw it," Wenn said. "It was my third at bat, I saw it, and connected with it."
Brynn Snodgrass followed Wenn's blast with a single and moved to second on a Berit Syltebo grounder before scoring on a triple into the gap in right center by Emma Atkinson.

Rosa Grossi grounded to second, with the throw home too late to nab a charging Atkinson.
Grossi stole second and scored on a base hit by Lucy Mead.

West Seattle held on to win, despite a one-run Ballard rally in the bottom of the seventh.
Mead also started the game off right for the Wildcats, ripping a triple down the right field line on the second pitch. Sofia Sallas scored her with a right side ground out.

Sam Hemmert followed with a base hit and Snodgrass was hit by a pitch with two out, but a fly out ended the threat.

Ballard rallied for two in the bottom of the inning.

Lauren King led off with a single and Taylor Danielson laid down a sacrifice bunt. After Megan Quigley-McAlister hit into an error and stole second, Hannah Schubert hit a two-run single up the middle.
Wenn got out of the inning on a strikeout with two on and two out, then did not allow another hit until the bottom of the seventh.

"After the first inning Gabby really settled down," said Leapold. "She just locked down the rest of the game."
"I just had to get through that first inning," said Wenn.
Elizabeth Breckow doubled with one out in the seventh, advanced on an error and scored on a Danielson ground out.

Quigley-McAlister then hit into an error, but the runner on second was thrown out at the plate for the final out.
West Seattle advances to the Sea-King District 2 Tournament as the Metro League's No. 1 seed, opening with a 7 p.m. game Tuesday at the Southeast Athletic Complex near Rainier Beach.
As the No. 2 seed Ballard opens at 4 p.m. day at the SWAC next to Chief Sealth.
Friday's game was the first time ever that two public schools played for the Metro League tournament championship.