By KLAS STOLPE
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Sitka High Lady Wolves and Ketchikan Lady Kings are about to collide on the Alaska School Activities Association Division II State Softball Tournament diamond after breezing through their preliminary pool-play groupings on Thursday at Anchorage’s Cartee Fields.
Sitka, in a grouping with Delta Junction and Kodiak, defeated the Huskies 12-7 and the Bears 12-4. Also in that pool, Kodiak defeated Delta 6-3.
The Lady Wolves’ combined 24 runs, 19 hits, and 21 runs batted in are second only to the Lady Kings’ 34 runs, 22 hits, and 31 RBI.
“The girls came ready to play,” Sitka coach Jael McCarty said. “We’re having fun.”
Ketchikan, grouped with Homer and Hutchison, defeated the Mariners 11-7 and the Hawks 23-2. Also in that pool, Homer defeated Hutchison 24-1.
The six teams now begin a round-robin double elimination tournament format today with clean slates, meaning Thursday’s losses are in the rear-view mirror for the road trip to the state title.
Sitka and Ketchikan had a first game bye and play challengers at 2:45 p.m. today (scores not available by press time).
Sitka awaits the winner of today’s Homer/Delta Junction’s 10 a.m. game (result not available by press time).
Ketchikan plays Kodiak. Kodiak toppled Hutchison 14-1 in today’s 10 a.m. opener, giving the Hawks a loss and entrance into an elimination game tonight at 5 p.m.
If the Lady Wolves and Lady Kings win they will play in a Saturday semifinal at 10 a.m. with the chance to advance to the title game at 2:45 p.m. Saturday. If they lose, they play at 5 p.m. today in an elimination game, hoping to keep advancing through Saturday’s 10 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. elimination games and, finally, into the 2:45 p.m. title game, which, if won, results in another If Necessary game for the championship.
“This team of girls has never lost the pure love of the game,” McCarty said. “I just told them to remember their love for the game and have a little fun. They played today like it was any other game. If they were feeling pressure because it was the state tournament, it didn’t show.”
Sitka senior Miah Dumag pitched the complete game win over Delta, going the 7 innings with 101 pitches, 71 for strikes, allowing 6 hits, 7 runs (3 earned), striking out 8 Huskies’ batters and walking 1.
Sitka senior Miah Dumag delivers against Ketchikan during the Region V Softball Tournament at Moller Field last week. Dumag pitched an opening game win at the ASAA State Softball Tournament at Anchorage’s Cartee Fields on Thursday and the Wolves are favorites, along with Ketchikan, to win the state title as play continues today and Saturday. (Sentinel Photo by Klas Stolpe)
Dumag also helped her own cause by going 2-3 at the plate with 2 runs scored and 2 runs batted in and walking once; and freshman Chloe Morrison went 3-4 with 2 runs scored and 2 runs batted in.
Seniors Avery Voron, Kyleigh McArthur, Abby Forrester, and Nyla Duncan, and sophomore Tyla Gleason had 1 hit each. Gleason, Voron, and Forrester scored 2 runs each; senior Calista Gallant and sophomore Grace Harang 1 apiece. Voron and McArthur had 2 RBI apiece; Forrester, Duncan, and Gallant 1 each. Voron and Gallant earned 1 walk apiece; Duncan and McArthur both struck out twice, and senior Erin Blankenship once.
Sophomore Makenna Smith earned the run-shortened win against Kodiak after five innings, throwing 107 pitches (58 for strikes), allowing 6 hits, 4 runs (2 earned), striking out 6 Bears’ batters and walking 4.
Duncan and Forrester dominated the plate. Duncan went 3-1 with 4 RBI and 1 run scored and Forrester was 3-3 with 1 RBI and 3 runs scored.
Gleason, Dumag, and Morrison had 1 hit each. Voron scored 3 runs, Gleason 2, and Dumag, Smith, and junior Baylee Pearson 1 each. Dumag and Morrison had 2 RBI apiece and Gleason 1. Voron and Pearson earned 3 walks apiece, and Gleason 1.
“Tournaments can be a grind for pitchers so one of our team goals is to protect them with our bats,” McCarty said. “The more we score, the earlier we get the pitchers off the field. Yesterday there was not a weak spot in our line up. Expect us to be aggressive as always. Miah will likely get the start today, and depending on how the game goes Makenna may come in behind. Both have been very focused and dominate.”
In Thursday’s Division I softball action the South Anchorage Wolverines defeated the Wasilla Warriors 14-2, the Dimond Lynx topped the West Valley Wolfpack 14-9, the East Anchorage Thunderbirds blanked Wasilla 16-0, Dimond nipped the Chugiak Mustangs 9-6, South topped East 13-3, and Chugiak beat West Valley 10-4. The teams now begin a double-elimination format with South awaiting the winner of Chugiak against Wasilla, and Dimond awaiting the winner of East against West Valley. The Division 1 championship game is slated for 5 p.m. Saturday at Cartee Fields.
In Thursday’s ASAA State Baseball Tournament quarterfinals at Anchorage’s Mulcahy Statdium the Ketchikan Kings defeated the Colony Knights 10-3, West Anchorage topped West Valley 10-0, Wasilla beat the Juneau-Douglas Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears 10-3, and Chugiak topped the North Pole Patriots 13-3.
In today’s championship semifinals Ketchikan plays West at 4 p.m. and Wasilla faces Chugiak at 7 p.m., the winners play for the state championship Saturday at 3 p.m. and the losers play in Saturday’s third/fifth place game at 12:30 p.m.
Also today West Valley faces Colony at 10 a.m. and JDHS plays North Pole at 1 p.m. in consolation games, with the winners playing Saturday in the fourth- and sixth-place game at 10 a.m. Saturday.
