2A district softball: Ridgefield loses title in extra-inning thriller, Woodland takes third

CENTRALIA — Ridgefield freshman Kekai Schultz had been battling a hitting slump since the beginning of the season, but before she approached the batter’s box in one of the game’s most heated and desperate moments, her teammates calmed her down with words of encouragement.

You know what you’re doing, they told her. Breath. Relax. Calm down.

Schultz saw the pitch, a bit far outside for her comfort, belted it anyway and took off running.

“I was just hauling butt around the bases, then I saw the umpire do his fist thing (signaling a home run), and I was like, ‘oh, cool,’ ” Schultz said.

Oh cool is right. Her homer sparked a Spudder comeback that, however, ended in a thrilling 4-3 extra-inning loss to defending state champion W.F. West in the 2A district softball final Friday evening at Fort Borst Park.

The loss left many Spudders devastated, but there was a sizable silver lining.

Ridgefield will be one of two 2A Greater St. Helens League teams to advance to the state tournament next weekend at Selah — its second appearance in as many years.

A day after taking the now seven-consecutive district champion winning Bearcats to 10 innings, Woodland earned the third and final bid after winning back-to-back loser-out games at the adjacent field, capped by a convincing 10-0 win over Rochester in the third-place game.

In the second game, the Beavers were fueled by Carleigh Risley’s three hits in four at-bats, Kaily Christensen and Kelly Sweyer’s four combined RBI and Olivia Grey’s 13 strikeout, one-hit and one-walk performance in the circle.

Grey’s day, which included 27 strikeouts opposite just five hits, happened less than 24 hours after she threw more than 300 total pitches. The junior, who teammates say is their emotional leader, applied ice on the drive home Thursday and Friday morning to overcome the arm soreness.

All of that helped Woodland earn its first state bid since 2015.

“It feels really good,” Grey, a Portland State commit, said. “The little things all came together today and it’s going to be a really good time.”

Last year, W.F. West blew through Woodland 14-0 and Ridgefield 9-0.

That makes Spudders second year head coach Dusty Anchors appreciate how far his team has come from last season.

“We are almost a completely different ball club. We gave them four errors and they gave them four runs (in last year’s district final),” Anchors said. “It means a whole heck of a lot, and then you think to yourself, they’re only juniors, sophomores and freshman.”

It’s by in large the same roster that lost in the first round of state last season.

Except for its second baseman, Schultz. She started off the season as the lead-off hitter, then was moved to sixth when she started slumping. But she was “relieved” and “happy” after hitting the game-altering seventh inning homer Friday.

Just like they have been all season, the Spudders were anchored by their ace pitcher Kaia Oliver. She threw 13 strikeouts opposite four earned runs, six hits and two walks. And the Syracuse commit held her own in a pitching duel versus W.F. West’s Ashlee Vadala, who had seven strikeouts, seven hits and three earned runs.

Columbia River was the third 2A GSHL team to be playing on day two of districts.

The Chieftains lost 8-7 after a late four-run comeback tied the game in the seventh inning before Rochester ended their season with a walk-off double.

It marks a year where Columbia River finished third in league, but faltered a bit in the weeks leading up to districts. It’s why catcher Cassie Baldino held her head high after the loss.

“We’ve been struggling all season with coming back after getting down in a game,” Baldino said. “I’m really proud of my whole team for not letting that stop us.

“I don’t have a lot of tears because this is probably the best I could have hoped for.”

But for Woodland and Ridgefield, the season is not over.

The two teams await the state seeding Sunday. Ridgefield is determined to put last year’s 0-2 state exit past them.

“That’s all we’ve been saying all weekend, we’re going to state,” senior third baseman Calli Martin said. “I just want to get past the two games and do better than last year.”

W.F. WEST 4, RIDGEFIELD 3, 8 innings

Ridgefield 000 000 30—3 7 1

W.F. West 010 002 01—4 6 1

Ridgefield

Pitching — Kaia Oliver 7 IP, 13 K, 2 BB; Highlights — Sarah Jenkins 1-4; Lillian Mittmann 2-4, R; Kekai Schultz 1-3, R, 3 RBI, HR; Kaia Oliver 2-3, 2B; Karli Oliver 1-3, RBI, 2B.

W.F. West

Pitching — Ashlee Vadala 8 IP, 7 K, 0 BB; Highlights — Paetynn Lopez 2-2, 2 R; Ashlyn Whalen 2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2 2B; Ava Fugate 2-3, R, RBI, HR.

WOODLAND 10, ROCHESTER 0

Woodland 203 311—10 9 0

Rochester 000 000—0 1 5

Woodland

Pitching — Olivia Grey 6 IP, 13 K, 1 BB; Highlights — JLila Russell 2-4, 2 R, 2 2B; Justice Holcomb 1-2; Chloe Eddy 1-4, R, RBI; Kelly Sweyer 1-4, R, 2 RBI, 3B; Kaily Christensen 1-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR; Carleigh Risley 3-4, 2 2B.

WOODLAND 6, TUMWATER 2

Woodland 030 300 0—6 9 0

Tumwater 000 002 0—2 4 1

Woodland

Pitching — Olivia Grey 7 IP, 14 K, 0 BB; Highlights — Lila Russell 2-4, R, 3 RBI, HR; Chloe Eddy 2-4; Kelly Sweyer 1-4; Caily Christensen 1-1, R, 2B; Payten Foster 1-3, R; Mable Warndahl 2-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR, SB.