The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears softball team finished their season-opening tournament on Sitka’s Moller Field with a combined 3-3-1 record over the weekend.
JDHS, now in the Division I Railbelt Conference had opened the tournament on Thursday defeating new conference rival Wasilla 10-4 and losing to DI Cook Inlet Conference Chugiak 15-1. All tournament games were played under a 65-minute time limit.
On Friday JDHS defeated last season’s state D II runners-up Kodiak Bears 15-4 and lost to the DII Southeast Conference defending state champions, and host, Sitka Wolves 13-3.
JDHS put up seven first-inning runs against Northern Lights Conference Kodiak and then added another eight in the second inning.
Crimson Bears junior Alayna Eciverri went 2-2 with two runs batted in, two runs scored and earned one walk to lead JDHS. Senior Bryanna Eakes had two RBI and two runs scored. Seniors Tatum Billings and Taiya Bentz, sophomore Skylar Oliva and freshman Sadie Lockhart scored two runs each. Junior Gwen Nizich and sophomores June Troxel and Lily Hayes score one run each. Hayes, Nizich, Eakes and Billings had one hit each. Billings had an RBI. Bentz, Lockhart and Oliva earned two walks each, Billings and Troxel one. Oliva pitched the game, allowing two hits, four runs, and walked three batters and struck out two.
Against Sitka the JDHS runs did not come until their final at bak in the top of the third inning, trailing 11-0.
Troxel hit a one-out single and advanced to second as sophomore Cassie Chenoweth reached on an error. Troxel reached third on a fielder’s choice and Lockhart, a pinch runner for Chenoweth, stole seconds which allowed Troxel to steal home. Echiverri earned a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch while Lockhart went to third. Billings singled to score Lockhart while Echiverri was put out at home. Nizich singled to score Billings.
Billings and Nizich had one hit and one RBI apiece to lead JDHS. Troxel had one hit. Sophomore Brynn Wheeler pitched one inning, allowed two hits and five runs and walked four. Nizich relieved and allowed five hits and eight runs, walked five and struck out three.
Sitka’s Sadie Saline went 2-3 with three RBI and two runs scored to lead the Wolves. Alina Lebahn scored three runs and Vada West two. Kaelynn Balovich, Ally Mayville, Chalice Brenton, Leia Daly, Brandy Pepper and Penelope Blankenship one each. Lebahn pitched the game, allowed three hits and three runs, walked one and struck out three.
On Saturday JDHS tied Sitka 3-3, defeated Wasilla 4-2 and lost to DII SEC Ketchikan 12-4.
The Crimson Bears trailed 1-0 against Sitka heading into the bottom of the third inning when their bats ignited for three runs.
Echiverri hit a one-out single and Billings bunted to reach base and Nizich doubled scoring Echiverri. Eakes was out at first base on a dropped third strike that allowed Billings to score and Bentz singled and advanced on an error that allowed Nizich to score the third run.
Sitka scored in the top of the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game before time ran out.
Nizich, Eakes and Bentz had one RBI each. Echiverri, Billings, Nizich, Eakes, Bentz and Oliva had one hit each. Billings and Troxel earned one walk apiece. Nizich pitched the game, allowing four hits and three runs, walking two and striking out five.
Sitka’s Balovich, Brenton, Saline and Delayna Barry had one hit each. Brenton had one RBI. Balovich, Saline scored one run apiece. Barry pitched the game, allowing three hits and three runs, walked two and struck out four.
Against Wasilla the Crimson Bears scored three runs in the top of the first inning as Echiverri led off with a double, Billings singled and Nizich reached on an error that scored Echiverri and led to Billings scoring. Eakes hit a fly ball out that allowed Nizich to reach third and Bentz grounded out to score Nizich. JDHS scored their final run in the top of the fifth inning as Troxel earned a leadoff walk and two outs later scored on a Nizich single.
Nizich led with three RBI and Bentz one. Echiverri, Billings, Troxel and Nizich had one hit and scored one run. Chenoweth and Troxel had one walk apiece.
Wheeler pitched the game, allowing two hits and two runs, walking three and striking out two.
JDHS’ last game against Ketchikan saw the Crimson Bears trailing 2-0 when they came to bat in the bottom of the first inning and scored four runs. Echiverri led off with a single, and Billings bunted to reach base which put Echiverri at third. Billings then stole second and Echiverri stole home. Billings would also score on an error on the play. Nizich then doubled, Eakes flew out and Bentz singled to score Nizich. Hayes and Oliva reached on errors to load the bases and Lockhart singled to score Bentz.
JDHS would not score again and Ketchikan put five runs across in the top of the second and third innings for the 12-4 final.
Bentz and Lockhart had one RBI apiece. Bentz had two hits, Echiverri, Billings, Nizich, Eakes and Lockhart one each. Chenoweth earned one walk. Oliva pitched two innings, allowed five hits and seven runs and walked three. Nizich relieved and allowed four hits and five runs and walked one.
Ketchikan senior Vienna Pahang went 3-4 with three runs scored. Sophomore Mariah Pechay-Austin had two RBI. Seniors Rylea Armstrong and Ella Shull had two hits, Armstrong scored three runs and Shull two. Junior Willow Vierra-Sonnenschein pitched the game, allowed seven hits and four runs and walked one.
JDHS will host undefeated RBC foe Colony at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Adair Kennedy Park; and will host RBC foe West Valley at 7:30 p.m. Friday and at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday.
• Contact Klas Stolpe at klas.stolpe@juneauempire.com.
