Tori Ross hit a one-out double in the bottom of the seventh as Union beat Battle Ground 1-0 for a key 4A Greater St. Helens League softball win on Monday.
Ross hit to center field on the first pitch drove in Sophia Rickard. It backed a stellar pitching performance by McKinley Emrshar, who allowed two hits and struck out five.
Union and Battle Ground are tied in second place in the 4A GSHL at 3-2. Both have one league game remaining, each against undefeated Skyview.
The top three teams qualify for the District 3/4 tournament May 17-18 in Kent.
Prairie clinches 3A GSHL top seed
Mackenzie Moore and Ashlee Porter each had two hits as Prairie beat Heritage 6-1 to wrap up the 3A GSHL’s top seed.
The Falcons are 6-0 in league play with two games remaining. Second-place Heritage fell to 4-2 in league play with both losses coming to Prairie.
Falcons pitcher Rylee Wall allowed six hits and no walks over seven innings with eight strikeouts.
Kylie Stroup went 3 for 3 for Heritage.
1A District Baseball
LA CENTER 11, EATONVILLE 1 — Smith Stimmel allowed four hits over six innings and had a bases-clearing double as the Wildcats cruised to a first-round District 4 tournament win at Castle Rock.
Stimmel’s two-out double drove in three runs and put La Center ahead 7-1 in the bottom of the fifth.
Justin Fuller went 3 for 3 including a triple. Caden Taylor also had three hits.
The Trico League champoin Wildcats face Tenino in a winner-to-state semifinal game on Tuesday.
TENINO 9, KING’S WAY CHRISTIAN 2 — Kellan Knox went 3 for 4 and two pitchers held the Knights to three hits in a first-round game in Hoquiam.
Jace Barnes drove in both King’s Way runs on a double in the sixth inning.
The Knights face Eatonville in a loser-out game on Tuesday.
SETON CATHOLIC 10, ELMA 3 — Jack Williams allowed just two hits over six innings as the Cougars earned a first-round district win at Castle Rock.
Teddy Wieczorek went 2 for 4 as Seton had just five hits but took advantage of eight Elma walks.
The Cougars will face Evergreen Conference champion Montesano in a winner-to-state semifinal on Tuesday.
MONTESANO 12, CASTLE ROCK 2 — The Bulldogs scored eight runs in the second inning en route to a five-inning first-round win.
The Rockets face Elma in a loser-out game Tuesday.
Stars of the day
- Ellie Forster, Seton Catholic softball, was a combined 6 for 7 with a double, 3 triples (all in second game), homer (first game), five RBI and five runs scored as the Cougars swept a Trico League doubleheader against Castle Rock
- Kaitlin Simmons, Camas softball, was 2 for 3 with a double and two RBI in the Papermakers’ 5-1 win over Evergreen.
