Daily Sitka Sentinel

Softball Wolves Play Hardball Sweeping Juneau-Douglas

By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
Sitka High’s softball team might be looking for some new bats.
The metal used over the weekend at Moller Field has to be worn out after the Wolves amassed 36 hits and 31 RBIs in a three-game sweep of the Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears.
“It felt pretty good,” Sitka coach Jael McCarty said. “I wasn’t surprised. I was very happy with that. We have been in the cage during preseason so we were expecting to hit well. It was a good weekend to get their confidence rolling into the next weekend.”
Sitka jumped on JDHS, winning 17-2 Friday and 16-4 in the first of a Saturday twin-bill before earning a walkoff 15-14 Saturday nightcap victory.
Senior Miah Dumag earned the first two wins on the mound in 10-run-rule shortened games (a point spread by 10 or more runs), striking out two JDHS batters and giving up three hits in the three-inning win Friday on 33 pitches/25 for strikes; and striking out one while allowing four hits, 4 runs and two walks in Saturday’s four-inning win (60 P/44 S) with sophomore Makenna Smith throwing one inning (2 SO, 17 P/11 S).
Smith started the Saturday nightcap, with 2.1 innings pitched, throwing 69 pitches, 38 for strikes (2.1 IN, 5 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 2 SO, 4 BB), Dumag relieved for 2.2 IP (26 P/22 S, 1 H 4 SO), and freshman Chloe Morrison earned the win in relief over the last two innings (76 P/30 S, 1 H, 6 R, 2 ER, 1 SO, 7 BB).
“Miah is really stepping up in the leadership role,” McCarty said. “She is taking our young pitchers under her wing.”

Sitka senior pitcher Miah Dumag delivers a pitch against Juneau-Douglas
during the Wolves 17-2 win over the Crimson Bears at Moller Field on Friday. Sitka swept JDHS, winning three games over the weekend. (Sentinel Photos by Klas Stolpe)

The Wolves followed easy directions: hit the ball, head right, make three lefts, and you’re home.
In game one, senior Avery Voron went 3-3 at the plate including two doubles, with 3 runs batted in and 2 runs scored,
Senior Nyla Duncan 2-4 (2 R, 1 RBI), sr. Abby Forrester 1-2 (2 R), sr. Calista Gallant 1-3 (1 R, 2 RBI), Morrison 1-1 (2 R, 2 BB), sr. Kyleigh McArthur 1-1 with one double (3 R, 1 BB), soph. Tyla Gleason 1-4 (1 RBI, 1 SO), Dumag 1-2 (1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SO), jr. Baylee Pearson 1-1 (3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB), and soph. Tamryn Suarez 0-0 (2 R). Pearson also stole two bases and Duncan one.

Sitka senior second baseman Nyla Duncan catchs a force at second with JDHS base runner Skylar Hickok during Friday action on Moller Field.

JDHS’ Sophia Schauwecker took the loss (1.2 IP, 56 P/29 S, 9 H, 12 R, 9 ER, 1 SO, 3 BB). Schauwecker and Amanda VanSlyke had one RBI apiece.
In game two Voron went 3-3 again, this time with two triples, (2 R, 2 RBI). Dumag 1-2 (1 RBI, 1 BB), Forrester 1-3 (3 R, 1 RBI), Morrison 2-2 (2 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB), and Pearson 2-2 (1 R, 2 RBI 2 BB). Each had one double. Duncan was 1-2 (1 R, 2 RBI 1 BB), Gallant 2-2 (2 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB), Gleason 2-4 (2 R, 1 RBI), McArthur 1-2 (1 RBI, 2 BB), and Suarez 0-0 (3 R).

Sitka senior center fielder Abby Forrester catches a Juneau-Douglas fly ball during Friday’s win over the Crimson Bears at Moller Field.

JDHS’ Kaia Smith took the loss (1.2 IP, 79 P/ 34 S, * H, 12 R, 10 ER, 7 BB). Margo Oliver had two RBI with one double, and Skylar Hickok one RBI (1 R, 1 BB).
“We have nine girls hitting .400 or above right now,” McCarty said. “But Avery Voron was just smoking the ball and having her being the very first play of the season throwing out a runner at first base from right field kind of really set the tone. She had two triples and three doubles and if our fence was a little taller some of those would have been triples as well. She is just feeling it.”
With Dumag resting to start game three, JDHS found the Wolves’ Smith was just as tough in the first inning as she worked two groundouts and struck out another.
Sitka put 5 runs across in the bottom half with Duncan, Dumag, Forrester, Voron, and sr. Tyler Helem crossing the plate for a 5-0 advantage.

Sitka senior batter Avery Voron connects on a Juneau-Douglas pitch.

JDHS got to Smith in the second inning, tying the score at 5-5, and forcing the Wolves to bring Dumag onto the mound.
“I was actually really impressed with McKenna (Smith),” McCary said. “She’s got a lot of speed and accuracy. She had a couple of really good innings. Your defense kind of plays behind you and sometimes it’s  harder for young pitchers to come back if there are a few defensive mistakes behind you. I have really high hopes for both McKenna and Chloe (Morrison).”
Sitka regained the lead in their half of the inning with Duncan scoring on a Forrester hit  to center and Dumag stealing third base and then scooting across the plate on a passed ball.
Dumag got a JDHS groundout to start the third and struck out two batters. The Wolves then added 3 runs in their half with Helem crossing on a Suarez single, Gallant stealing home, Gleason hitting in Suarez, Dumag crossing on a Voron fly ball, and Forrester walking home.
Dumag got the JDHS side out in the fourth with a strikeout sandwiched between two infield groundouts to Saurez at second base.
Sitka added a run in the bottom of the fourth with Duncan scoring on a Dumag single to right field.
The Wolves gave Morrison time on the mound in the fifth inning. JDHS earned 2 runs to close to 13-7 and 4 runs in the sixth to close to 13-11 while Sitka struggled to get across home.

Sitka sophomore third baseman Tyla Gleason makes a tag on Juneau-Douglas base runner Margo Oliver on Friday at Moller Field.

JDHS senior Skyler Hickok hit a deep shot to right in the top of the seventh for an inside the park homerun that scored two teammates as well for a 14-13 lead.
Sitka’s Voron led off the Wolves last at bat with a double, advanced on a walk to Morrison and moved to third on a passed ball, then scored on a wild pitch to tie the score at 14-14.
A pop out by Pearson and strikeout by Smith looked like the game might go to extra innings but Morrison stole second base and scored as Suarez connected on a pitch to single into right field for a walkoff winner, 15-14.
“We mixed things up a little bit just to give other people chances and look at spots,” McCarty said. “That is kind of part of what you have to go through. I was impressed that our girls could not only win big, like they did the first two games, but they were able to lose the lead and come back and win anyway. That took a lot of heart and skill.”
Voron went 2-4 (2 R, 2 RBI) with a double, Dumag 2-4 (3 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB) with a double, Forrester 2-5 (2 R, 2 RBI, 1 SO), Suarez 2-4 (1 R, 2 RBI, 2 SO), Helen 1-2 (2 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 SO), Duncan 0-1 (3 R, 4 BB), Gleason 0-3 (1 RBI), Morrison 0-3 (1 R, 2 BB, 3 SO), Gallant 0-3 (1 R), McArthur 0-2, Pearon 0-1, Smith 0-2 (1 SO).
“I told them to be aggressive,” McCarty said. “I told them we were looking to hit and not to walk. Any pitch that was close to the zone they were on top of it.”
Sitka will host the three-time defending state champion Thunder Mountain Falcons on Thursday and Friday. In softball action over the weekend the Falcons lost to Ketchikan 9-5 and defeated the Lady Kings 11-6.