SPANAWAY — A sophomore and two juniors came through with consecutive clutch hits Friday afternoon for the Columbia River softball team.
All three said they did it for the seniors.
Columbia River scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to beat Bonney Lake 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the Class 3A bi-district softball tournament at Sprinker Recreation Center, clinching a berth to next week’s state tournament.
Gabby Collins smashed a two-out triple, Isabelle Parkin followed with a double to tie the game, then Jadyn Schofield put the Chieftains ahead with a single.
Pitcher Emma Klundt got Bonney Lake down in order in the top of the seventh, and the Chieftains could celebrate.
“We dedicated this whole thing for our seniors,” said Collins, a sophomore. “We really wanted to do this for them.”
“In my mind, I’ve got to do this for my seniors,” said Schofield, a junior. “We look up to them. They completely turned this program around with Coach Cleeland. We owe it all to them.”
Columbia River coach Mindy Williams Cleeland said she was “speechless” after witnessing River’s performance Friday. The Chieftains beat Auburn Riverside 8-1 in the first round of bi-district earlier Friday.
“The girls have worked really hard and they have come together as a family,” Williams Cleeland said. “I’m really proud of them.”
Klundt struck out nine, limiting Bonney Lake to to three hits. But Bonney Lake would get an unearned run in the top of the sixth to take the lead, giving some urgency to River’s approach.
“We were all just so excited,” Collins said. “We knew we could pull through, because we’ve done it before.”
Parkin, a junior, smashed a double to the fence to score the tying run.
“It was kind of nerve-racking, but I knew we just had to do it for them,” she said of the seniors. “They put everything into this program, and we wanted to give them everything back.”
Schofield said she lives for these moments.
“I always like to play fearless,” Schofield said. “I’m known for my two-strike hits. All of my big hits are with two strikes. I wasn’t that nervous.”
Columbia River won the Class 3A Greater St. Helens League title prior to this tournament. The Chieftains will play for seeding Saturday, but they are assured a trip to Lacey for the 3A state tournament.
Collins drove in three runs in River’s win over Auburn-Riverside. Teaghan Cowles and Emma Tucker each had two hits. Klundt struck out seven in six scoreless innings of work.
This will be River’s second trip to state in the last three years. Friday’s win came on the same field they clinched state two seasons ago.
“It feels incredible,” Schofield said.
COLUMBIA RIVER 2, BONNEY LAKE 1
B. Lake 000 001 0–1 3 0
C. River 000 002 x–2 5 1
Columbia River
Pitcher — Emma Klundt 7 IP, win, 0 ER, 9 strikeouts.
Highlights — Teaghan Cowles 1-3; Gabby Collins 2-3, 3B; Isabelle Parkin 1-2, 2B, RBI; Jadyn Schofield 1-3, RBI.
COLUMBIA RIVER 8, AUBURN-RIVERSIDE 1
A-Riverside 000 000 1–1 5 3
C. River 112 103 x–8 10 1
Columbia River
Pitchers — Emma Klundt 6 IP, win, 7 strikeouts; Andrea Hoey 1 IP.
Highlights — Teaghan Cowles 2-3, 2B; Emma Tucker 2-3, RBI; Gabby Collins 1-3, 2B, 3 RBI; Jadyn Schofield 1-3; Chase Eisenhower 1-2; Cassie Baldino 1-1, RBI; Hanna Dyer 1-2, RBI.
