G-P/T-O softball advances to 2B state

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | May 28, 20140

On their way to state in their lone year playing 2B softball, the Garfield-Palouse/Tekoa-Oakesdale Vikings beat Colfax in their first game last Saturday at Richland to gain entry.

“To get to state was one of our goals at the start of the year and we accomplished it,” said coach Steve Witthuhn.

Leaving Palouse on the bus at 6:20 a.m. May 24, the Vikings met Colfax at 11 a.m. in the Tri-Cities and won 7-4. The win took them to two more games which decided seeding for state.

Gar-Pal/T.O. lost 3-2 to DeSales and 8-1 to Asotin, nonetheless taking the No. 4 seed for the combined District 7 and District 9.

In the win over Colfax, Sammi Johnson led with three hits and two RBIs while Cassie Martin and Kamryn Lehn each hit RBI-singles.

Chandler Pfaff pitched all seven innings, allowing one earned run with two strikeouts and two walks.

Against DeSales, all of the game’s scoring happened in the first inning as the Vikings’ Lexi Rodriguez hit a single, Sammi Johson got on base on a fielder’s choice to bring in Rodriguez to score. McKenzie McClanahan then hit an RBI-double to score Johnson. After that, a single by Martin brought in McClanahan.

“That was it. We were done for the game,” Witthuhn said.

Against Asotin, Gar-Pal/T.O.’s Kelsey Bielenberg hit a single and a double to drive in Payson Griner for the team’s lone run in the 8-1 loss.

Pfaff pitched once again, going all seven innings to allow 13 hits with five strikeouts and no walks.

The double-elimination 2B state tournament will begin in Yakima Friday morning.

Northwest Christian has the District 7/9 No. 1 seed with DeSales at No. 2, Asotin at No. 3, Gar-Pal/T.O. at No. 4 and Colfax No. 5.

The Vikings will play first at 9 a.m. Friday against Kittitas.

The trip to Yakima will be familiar for a select few players for Gar-Pal/T.O., as the Vikings (as just Gar-Pal) played at state in 2011, finishing third when the current seniors were freshmen.