Crimson Bears softball season ends in 9-8 loss to Lynx in state tournament

This story has been updated with additional content.

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears softball team were one run away Friday from advancing into Saturday’s title chances at the ASAA/First National Bank Alaska Division I Softball State Championships at Anchorage’s Cartee Fields, but the Dimond Lynx held on for a 9-8 elimination game win.

The Crimson Bears had defeated East 9-5 and fell to Colony 15-0 earlier in the day.

At Saturday’s awards ceremony, JDHS junior Gwen Nizich was selected to the All-State Tournament team. Nizich, senior Bryanna Eakes, junior Alayna Echiverri, sophomore Cassandra Chenoweth and freshman Sadie Lockhart earned Player of the Game honors through JDHS’ five tournament contests.

“This season is one I’ll always remember,” Nizich said. “I’m grateful for the chance to play with such a diverse team after the schools combined earlier this year. Our last games this week were bittersweet. Even though the outcome wasn’t exactly what we wanted, we’ve improved so much since the beginning of the season and we left our all on the field. I am confident that our team’s determination will lead us to success in the seasons to come.”

Head coach Lexie Razor had praise for her team.

“I feel that this past season was a success for Crimson Bears softball,” she said. “We were able to successfully combine two softball programs and compete with Division 1 schools. We ended up having 32 total girls involved: 12 on varsity, three managers, and 17 JV players. Out of those 32 players, four had never played softball before this year and 10 came to us from Thunder Mountain.”

“Throughout the season the girls made huge improvements,” she said. “New players began to understand the rules and strategies of fastpitch softball and experienced players all improved defensively and offensively. It was fun to see our girls getting comfortable diving and believing in themselves to make those amazing plays. As coaches, we figured out how best to coach a larger group of players, which was made easier by having regular access to Adair Kennedy.”

In the final game of the state tournament against Dimond, the Lynx scored the first three runs in the top of the first inning as sophomore Clara Estabrook earned a walk, senior Kea D’Elia reached on a fielder’s choice that put out Estabrook, senior Rachel Whetten walked, junior Kinsey MacDonald earned a two-out walk, and D’Elia and MacDonald and Whetten scored on wild pitches.

JDHS struck back in the bottom half to take a 4-3 lead, with senior Tatum Billings scoring on a bases-loaded wild pitch, senior Taiya Bentz grounding out to score Nizich, and sophomore June Troxel reaching on an error that scored Eakes and sophomore Brynn Wheeler.

JDHS added a run in the bottom of the second as Echiverri led off with a walk, advanced on a ground out by Billings and scored on a wild pitch for 5-3.

Dimond tied the game in the top of the third on a home run by Whetten with a senior Aubree Ogee on base. JDHS came back in the bottom half with Wheeler earning a walk, stealing second and scoring on a Bentz ground ball. Bentz would score on a bases-loaded walk to sophomore Taylor Williams for the 7-5 lead.

“Playing that last game at state was a surreal moment,” Bentz said. “I feel like our team gave it our everything in those last games, and that is all you can ask for. The team this year has been so much fun and it is such a bittersweet feeling knowing those were our last games together. As players, we are the team, but the coaches are what really bring it all together. They put in so much time and effort year-round to make us better on and off the field and I couldn’t thank them enough for their hard work and dedication. Being on this team throughout all of high school will be some of my best memories that I will frequently look back on and cherish. I am beyond proud to be a Bear!”

Wheeler came into pitch for sophomore Skylar Oliva at the top of the fourth inning and struck out a batter, allowed one hit and had two fielding plays by Eakes and Billings to end her first of three innings of work.

JDHS added a run in the bottom of the fourth as Eakes hit a one-out double and scored on a single by Wheeler to lead 8-5.

Dimond struck back in the top of the sixth inning with four runs to take a 9-8 advantage. The two-out rally had Estabrook double, D’Elia singled scoring Estabrook, Ogee walked, Kinzie MacDonald reached on an error scoring D’Elia, and Ogee and Whetten singled to center field scoring MacDonald.

The Crimson Bears worked the bottom half of the sixth to load the bases. Nizich singled to get the team rolling, Eakes popped out and Wheeler hit a one-out single. Bentz grounded into a fielder’s choice that made Nizich the second out and freshman Sadie Lockhart earned a walk to put a Crimson Bears runner on every bag. Troxel then battled to a full count and fouled off four balls before hitting a fly ball out to right field.

Nizich pitched the seventh inning, striking out the first two batters, the second tried to advance on a dropped third strike, but was thrown out at first. Dimond junior Katie MacDonald singled to left by Nizich handled a ground ball by Lynx sophomore Clara Estabrook for the final out.

In their final at bat of the season, the Crimson Bears’ Chenoweth just missed on a third strike, Echiverri lined out to right field, Billings reached on an error and Nizich lined out to center field.

Wheeler, Bentz and Williams had one RBI each. Eakes and Wheeler led with two hits. Lockhart had two walks and Wheeler, Troxel, Chenoweth, Williams and sophomore Lily Hayes one each.

Oliva started in the circle and went three innings, allowed two hits and five runs, walked six and struck out one. Wheeler went three innings (4 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 4 SO) and Nizich closed out the game (1 H, 2 SO).

Dimond junior Isabelle Cavazos pitched two innings (3 H, 7 R, 5 BB) and Ogee five (4 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 2 SO).

Whetten led the Lynx with three RBI, D’Elia and Whetten led with two hits apiece.

“With the last day of games I was really proud of the team and how we did,” Echiverri said. “The ending of our season wasn’t how we planned, but we put in our all and that is what matters to me and our team. I am really proud of our team and seniors with the whole conjoining schools and how quickly we all bonded together. Overall I think this was a wonderful season and I am very thankful four our coaches and commitment for bringing us here today, and I am excited for what next season has for us in store.”

JDHS’ Friday morning started against traditional softball power East, the Cook Inlet Conference second-place finisher and an opponent that mirrors their own makeup. JDHS (18-15-1) and East (19-2) have a similar mix of experience and youth on the roster, which bodes well for next season,.

Trailing the Thunderbirds 5-3 heading into their final at bat in the top of the seventh inning, Billings earned a lead-off walk and stole second base with Nizich at the plate.

“Going up to bat first while down two in the last inning, knowing that you have to get on, is stressful,” Billings said. “But I just knew I had to keep my calm because I had to stay focused on our team goal and I knew I had two power hitters, Gwen and Bryanna, behind me that would get me home if I just got a base hit. And they did!”

Nizich doubled into left filed scoring Billings and cut the East advantage to 5-4. Eakes followed with a single to move Nizich to third and was awarded second on a defensive interference call.

A pop-up out by JDHS’ Oliva put East on edge and JDHS’ Wheeler was called in to pinch hit for Troxel and singled to center field scoring Nizich and Eakes for a 6-5 lead. Troxel came back to pinch run for Wheeler and stole second base.

Williams singled to center field, moving Troxel to third base.

A bunt by the Crimson Bears’ Lockhart didn’t fool East and the Thunderbirds recorded the second out.

Chenoweth earned a walk to load the bases and was replaced by classmate courtesy runner Lily Hayes setting the stage for Echiverri, who singled to right field scoring Troxel and Williams. Billings came back up to bat and earned a walk, followed by Nizich who distracted the East pitcher into a wild pitch that allowed Hayes to scamper home for a 9-5 advantage.

East did not go quietly in the morning mist, earning a lead-off walk by senior Penina Tali and a double by junior Sela Rodriguez.

JDHS shortstop Lockhart then fielded a hard ground ball and threw to catcher Chenoweth at home, who tagged Tali for the first out.

“I knew that I had missed the tag,” Lockhart said. “And I saw the player running from third to home and I knew I had to get her out.”

Nizich struck out East junior Valley Wakefield, but missed the corner and walked East sophomore Aulelei Wong to load the bases. East freshman Anavi Sanford then hit a hard ground ball that Nizich fielded in the circle and threw to first baseman Bentz to end the game.

JDHS had scored the first run of the game as Echiverri hit a lead-off single in the first inning and scored three batters later on a sacrifice fly by Eakes. East scored four runs in the bottom half.

JDHS scored a single run in the second inning as Wheeler earned a walk and Troxel pinch ran and three batters later scored on a passed ball. The Crimson Bears added a run in the third inning as Nizich reached base on a fielder’s choice, advanced on two passed balls and scored on a ground out by Eakes. East added a run in the bottom of the second.

Echiverri led with three hits, Billings and Williams had two apiece and Nizich, Eakes, Oliva and Wheeler one each. Echiverri, Eakes and Wheeler had two RBI each, Nizich one. Troxel and Nizich scored two runs apiece, Echiverri, Billings, Eakes, Williams and Hayes one each. Billings and Chenoweth earned two walks apiece, Wheeler and Williams one apiece.

Oliva started in the circle and went one inning (3 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 1 SO). Nizich went six innings (3 H, 1 R, 5 BB, 6 SO).

JDHS had little time to rest as top tournament seed Colony awaited and the Knights showed why they are the Railbelt Champions, outhitting the Crimson Bears 13-3 and winning 15-0 in three innings.

Nizich and Lockhart and Echiverri had the three JDHS hits, one in each inning. Nizich took the loss over 2.2 innings (10 H, 9 R, 3 BB, 1 SO). Wheeler worked one out (3 H, 6 R, 2 BB).

Colony senior Kaidence Browning took the win (3 H, 3 SO). Knights senior Alexis Congdon and sophomore Morgan Gallagher led with three RBI apiece.

JDHS had lost to CIC champions South Anchorage 11-3 and defeated CIC fourth-place Dimond 15-0 in round robin play on Thursday to determine Friday’s tournament bracket seeding.

South defeated Colony 8-2 in Saturday’s semifinal, sending Colony into an elimination game against Chugiak. Chugiak won 16-4 and then defeated South 8-4 in a first championship game. Since that was South’s first loss, the teams played again and South defeated Chugiak 10-9 for the state title.

• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.