Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Beat Pomeroy 18-7 in tiebreaker then lost to Colton 19-0
WALLA WALLA — Garfield-Palouse softball Coach Rochelle Pedersen is sporting an unusual look – a notched eyebrow to show the Vikings won a post-season game.
She told the team she would notch her eyebrows for every post-season win. It was something Rochelle Pedersen did when she played softball her high school.
“I told them I would do it if we beat Pomeroy and I did,” she said.
A tiebreaker game with the Pomeroy Pirates was needed after the Vikings tied with them for fourth place in the 1B Southeast league. The winner was going to play in the league’s Culminating Event, which was a single-elimination tournament to determine the championship team.
The Vikings beat Pomeroy 18-7 on May 3.
“They wanted it badly. My team came out on fire,” said Rochelle Pedersen. “It was a fun game to watch and to coach.”
The team put the season’s lessons together to win.
Viking Kenzi Pedersen pitched for 10 strikeouts. She went 4 for 4 at-bats with two triples and 4 RBIs.
Adding to the score were Maci Brantner going 2 for 5 at-bats with 2 RBIs, Madison Cloninger was 1 for 3 at-bats with a double and got an RBI driving Kenzi Pedersen home. Freshman Ella Cuellar went 2 for 3 at-bats.
“One was down the baseline. Chalk was flying,” Rochelle Pedersen said about one of Cuellar’s hits. “For never playing (a season) before and getting two hits against this decent team was nothing to shrug your shoulders about.”
The game ended in the sixth inning under the mercy rule.
“There was only one inning we didn’t score,” said Rochelle Pedersen. “They were in it to win it. They wanted to go to Walla Walla.”
The win earned them a place in the Culminating Event tournament in Walla Wall the next day.
The single-elimination format was unusual for post-season softball playoffs. There wasn’t a loser bracket.
“I feel like it could have been better planned,” said Rochelle Pedersen. “It feels kind of lopsided to do that …I am still thankful for the Culminating Event because it was better than what we had after not having a season.”
Garfield-Palouse faced the Colton Wildcats again during the first round of the tournament. The Vikings lost 19-0 in five innings.
“It would have been better to have a day of rest between Pomeroy and Walla Walla,” Rochelle Pedersen said. “I had a pitcher (Kenzi Pedersen) who threw six innings against Pomeroy and had to start her again.”
The Vikings kept from making a lot of errors. It was more of a strong offense by the Wildcats that ended it early.
“Colton hit the ball very well,” said Rochelle Pedersen. ”I had a gassed pitcher.”
After the loss, the team was finished for the abbreviated season.
‘They had nothing to hang their heads about. With nine girls, we placed well and made it to the culminating event. They should be proud they used the tools their coaches gave them,” said Rochelle Pedersen.
She said she is looking forward to adding to the players’ experience next year.
“The future looks great and we are going to come out on fire,” said Rochelle Pedersen. “They had fun this season … and I hope they have memories that will last a long time.”
Bill Stevenson is the former editor of the Whitman County Gazette, Colfax Daily Bulletin and Franklin Connection. He has nearly 30 years of journalism experience covering news in Eastern Washington.
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