Yelm High School’s fastpitch team concluded its regular season on Friday, May 12, with a dominant 19-8 victory over South Sound Conference rivals North Thurston.
With the regular season in the rearview, the Tornados have set their focus to a district playoff matchup against Lincoln of Tacoma at 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, at the Regional Athletic Complex in Lacey.
“In order to be successful this postseason we need to back up our pitchers defensively and hit the ball well,” Head Coach Lindsey Walton said. “Most importantly, when we have runners on, we need to find a way to score them. Be aggressive, but disciplined at the plate. We are excited for Thursday and will prepare over the next (several) days to show up and give our best efforts.”
In the team’s final test against North Thurston before the district tournament, Mallory Hoke started on the mound for the Tornados.
Madisyn Erickson started the scoring for Yelm in the first inning as she collected an RBI on a single to make it an early 1-0 game.
Yelm’s offense then exploded for nine runs in the top of the third inning. Walton said Hoke, Erickson, Miranda Hunt, Caylee Roberts, Layah Hicks and Carley Waite each collected RBIs to fuel the high scoring frame. The Rams responded in the bottom of the third inning with two runs of their own, keeping the score in Yelm’s favor, 10-2, entering the fourth inning.
The Tornados added four more runs in the top of the fourth inning, but their lead was trimmed to seven runs as the Rams added five of their own. Yelm led 14-7 entering the fifth inning, where they officially put the game away.
Yelm scored five more runs and won the game due to the 10-run rule.
Elissa Dewees, Jocelyn Lintz, Erickson and Hicks each saw multi-hit games during the contest. Erickson also led the team with four steals during the game.
Earlier in the week, the Tornados secured a 6-4 victory against SSC opponent Central Kitsap on Monday, May 8, at Central Kitsap High School.
Hoke was the winning pitcher in the contest, going seven innings and allowing four runs on seven hits. She struck out three batters.
Yelm was off to a 6-0 lead in the fifth inning thanks to strong offense from Austin Hitchner, Roberts and Hunt, who each collected multiple hits.
Central Kitsap had a strong comeback effort in the final two innings, but the Tornados were able to hold on to defeat the Cougars, 6-4.
Then on Wednesday, May 10, the team traveled to River Ridge High School where they were defeated 12-11 after a walkoff single.
The high scoring affair was started by an Erickson RBI single. Yelm led 3-0 after the first inning and extended its lead to six in the third inning after Erickson drove in several RBIs on a home run.
River Ridge cut Yelm’s lead to two after scoring four runs in the bottom of the third frame. Yelm added another run in the fourth inning to lead 7-4, but found themselves trailing 8-9 at the end of the fifth inning.
After exchanging leads once again, the Tornados led 11-9 as the team entered the final frame of the game.
The River Ridge Hawks battled back to tie the game at 11 each, before Jayden Kautz won the contest with a walk off RBI single.
Hicks led the Tornados at the plate with four hits against River Ridge. She collected three singles and a double during the outing. Erickson, Lintz, Hitchner and Hunt each collected a multi-hit game for the Tornados.
As they enter the postseason, Walton said the team needs to rely on the trust they have built among players, which she believes is one of their biggest strengths.
“Trust that we will collectively do our job, whatever that may be, such as being a courtesy runner, pinch hitter, or playing whatever position it is at the time to the best of their ability,” Walton said. “Also, maintain a level of intensity the entire game on and off the field. Staying in the game mentally every pitch will be equally as important.”
The Tornados can qualify for the 3A state championship tournament by winning its first two district playoff games.
