Colton Wildcats take fourth in state softball

COLTON - After a long and grueling season, the Colton Wildcats took home the fourth place trophy at the state tournament.

The tournament was held Friday and Saturday, May 24 and 25, in Yakima.

Entering the tournament as the number four overall seed, the Wildcats took on fifth-ranked Mossyrock in the first round.

The game was played on Friday, May 24.

Colton would trail 2-0 in the second inning before scoring two runs of their own in the bottom of the second inning, leveling the game at two.

In the third inning, Mossyrock regained the lead with two runs before Colton snatched the lead back with four runs.

In the bottom of the fifth inning the Wildcats led 8-6, then, Colton exploded for seven runs, helping secure the 15-9 victory.

Clair Moehrle pitched the first inning for Colton, then recorded two outs in the second inning before being replaced. Moehrle allowed two runs, both earned, on three hits with three walks. She would strikeout one batter.

Kiya Soza replaced Moehrle, pitching the rest of the game. Soza allowed seven runs, four earned, on nine hits with seven strikeouts.

Colton combined for 15 hits in the game, led by three from Soza and two from Kate Schultheis.

Mere Bell had a triple in the game as well.

Kaydee Heitstmuan, Kyndra Stout and Rori Weber each had three RBIs against Mossyrock.

With the win, Colton advanced to the state semifinals match against the top-ranked Liberty Christian Patriots.

The Patriots controlled the game from the start, holding Colton scoreless.

Colton would do a decent job against the Patriot offense until Liberty Christian scored six runs in the fifth inning to end the game with the 10-0 victory.

Soza pitched four-and-two-thirds innings, allowing 10 runs, five earned, on eight hits with five walks and strikeouts.

Moehrle recorded one out on the mound in the game as well.

The lone hit from Colton in the game came from Soza.

With the loss, Colton moved on to a loser-out match against Muckleshoot Tribal. For Liberty Christian, they advanced to the state championship match, where they fell to DeSales.

Colton took on Muckleshoot Tribal on Saturday, May 25.

The game saw Colton score in each of the five innings played on the day, including a nine-run fourth inning to secure the 17-6 victory.

Moehrle pitched all five innings for the Wildcats, allowing six runs, all earned, on 11 hits with six strikeouts.

Of the 13 hits Colton produced in the game, Soza had four, followed by two from Heitstuman, Bell, and Leah Musson.

Soza would have six RBIs to lead Colton. Bell was close behind with three.

With the win, Colton advanced to the third/fourth place match against Inchelium.

The game against the Hornets was played Saturday, May 25.

Inchelium got to work early, as they often do, scoring eight runs in the bottom of the first inning to dominate the inning.

Inchelium would then score two runs in the bottom of the second, and six in the bottom of the third to put the game away, taking the 18-8 victory in five innings.

Colton saw Soza pitch all four innings. She allowed 18 runs, eight earned, on 14 hits with two walks and five strikeouts.

Colton would out-hit Inchelium in the game 15-14.

Of the nine batter Colton sent out, eight recorded a hit, with seven producing two hits.

Soza and Moehrle led the way with two RBIs each. Weber, Heitstuman and Ella Nollmeyer had one RBI as well.

The Wildcats finish their season with a 20-10 overall record, as well as a fourth-place state trophy.

Colton were the only 1B Whitman County softball team to make it to the state tournament this past season.

They were also the only Whitman County school regardless of classification to make it as Colfax came up just short of the tournament this season.