Colfax High softball team ends NE runs on wins

Colfax softball girls stacked wins in their last four league games Saturday and Monday to finish out a 10-2 run in the Northeast 2B league. The tally lands the Bulldogs in a solid number-two slot in the league standings before the playoff rounds start May 13. As a number-two finisher, Colfax will be one of the host clubs in the first round.

Undefeated Northwest Christian finished on top of the league race.

Colfax Monday stopped Liberty in two five inning games at McDonald Park to finish out the league run. Scores were 14-1 and 13-1.

Junior starter Erica Eng fanned 13 batters in the first game and nine more in the second game for a 22 total. She walked just one batter in the first game. Casey Cloaninger finished with seven RBIs off five hits for the day. She singled, doubled and tripled in the first game.

Other Colfax hitters in the opener were Kori Goodwin with two singles, Sidney Sheer with a double, Scoops Hahn, Andra Hamilton and Brittany Lewis with singles.

Colfax hammered 13 hits in the second game with Goodwin and Eng each getting three. Goodwin had a triple and Eng a double.

Feature hit for the closer was an in-the-park homer by freshman Cheyanne Stokes who dropped one over the head of the Lancers’ center fielder. Stokes hit 2-2 in the second game and had three RBIs.

Monday’s league closer was senior day with Cloaninger and Hahn getting the honors. The two seniors play the corners of the Colfax defense, and field markings for Monday noted Cloaninger’s spot at first and Hahn’s spot at third.

The pair of Monday wins followed two wins Saturday against LRS at Ritzville.

Saturday at Ritzville the Bulldogs hammered 19 hits in the first game and 17 more in the second game to defeat the Broncos on their home turf. The Bulldog hit barrage was combined with solid pitching by Eng who allowed the hosts just one hit in the first game and two in the second game. Eng fanned 12 batters in the one hitter.

Colfax took the first game 12-2 after pegging a 5-0 lead over the first three innings and scoring another four runs in the fourth.

Goodwin had five hits in the first game with a pair of doubles and a triple. Hahn had three of the hits with a triple and Sarah Appel had three with a double. Cloaninger, Amara Huber and Brittany Lewis each had two hits.

In the second game Colfax took a 4-2 lead into the top of the sixth inning and scored six more runs. Goodwin had three more hits to wrap up an .800 day at the plate. Cloaninger also had three hits with a pair of triples and Hahn had another three hits with a pair of doubles. Eng and Hamilton each had two hits and Huber added a triple.

Colfax made the trip to Ritzvlle after splitting a twin bill with Moscow at McDonald Friday. Colfax took the opener 6-1 with a five-run charge in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Bulldogs had seven hits off Moscow starter Deven Chandler with Cloaninger rapping two doubles and Eng hitting a single and a double. Appel, Lewis and Carolyn Knaack had the other hits.

Chandler also pitched in the second game and prevailed for a 7-4 win. The Bears rapped 10 hits off Cloaninger who moved to the pitchers ring for the second game.

Cloaninger had two of the seven Colfax hits in the second game, and Goodwin tripled.