JDHS softball sweeps Railbelt conference rival West Valley

The Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé Crimson Bears softball team finished a weekend conference sweep of Railbelt Conference foe West Valley with a 14-6 win Saturday at Adair Kennedy Park. The Crimson Bears had won 9-4 Friday night.

“It felt good,” JDHS coach Lexi Razor said. “The girls took a little while to get started but then they really started hitting good…We had several girls that laid out for catches and diving plays which ignites the whole team, and then we were hitting and running well again so it feels good to put it all together in one game.”

Power hitting was key for the Crimson Bears.

Trailing 1-0 in the top of the second inning JDHS sophomore Brynn Wheeler sent a first-pitch home run well over the left field fence to tie the score at 1-1.

“I was just thinking, honestly, like base hit,” Wheeler said. “But you know I just know I have so much power in me so I am just really happy it went over…hopefully I have a little bit more power…I’m hoping I can hit it farther next time. This conference win means a lot to me because I just feel like I haven’t really done a lot this season except just like be a DH, but now I’ve hit a home run and now I feel like I’m a lot more important to the team.”

West Valley would take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning. JDHS found the long ball again in the top of the fourth inning.

Crimson Bears sophomore June Troxel led off the at bat with a bunt and junior Alayna Echiverri lined a one-ball, one-strike pitch over the left field fence for a 3-2 lead.

“Honestly it wasn’t going through my mind,” Echiverri said. “I just hit the ball and then it happened. I hit one my freshman year but now this is my first time I hit a home run as a JD Bear…the win means a lot to us and I think we should just keep pushing and as long as we push we are going to win.”

JDHS added two runs in the top of the sixth inning as Wheeler earned a leadoff walk, stole second base, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by sophomore Cassie Chenoweth. Junior courtesy runner replaced Chenoweth and stole second base, advanced to third on a single by sophomore Skylar Oliva and scored on a ground ball by Troxel for a 5-2 lead.

JDHS added another nine runs in the top of the seventh inning. Senior Bryanna Eakes reached on a dropped third strike and scored on a two-out triple by Chenoweth. Senior Taiya Bentz singled in Chenoweth, Oliva doubled and Troxel reached on a ground ball scoring Bentz. Echiverri walked to load the bases and Billings tripled to center field scoring three runs. Junior Gwen Nizich singled to score Billings for a 12-2 lead. Nizich was replaced by freshman courtesy runner Kiki Gallettes-Swafford who would score on errors created by an Eakes line drive to center field. Eakes scored on a single by Wheeler for a 14-2 lead.

West Valley picked up four runs in the bottom half of the seventh inning before their attempted comeback ended with a ground ball out to JDHS sophomore Lily Hayes at third base and two strikeouts by Nizich.

The Crimson Bears had solid fielding throughout the game including a highlight diving catch by Eakes in center field to rob a West Valley hit.

Eakes, a center fielder since her freshman year, noted she tries to relieve as much stress on the pitching staff as she can.

“Honestly nothing was going through my mind, I just know I have to catch everything that I can to help our pitchers,” Eakes said. “We only have three that pitch right now and if we can save their arm as much as we can by getting easy outs I’d rather do that…I had no clue it was going to happen, I am glad I caught it. We work on a lot of sliding, diving and all that stuff in practice. So I guess it is paying off.”

Echiverri, Billings, Wheeler, Chenoweth and Troxel had two RBI each, Nizich and Bentz one apiece. Oliva had three hits, Bentz, Chenoweth and Wheeler two each, Echiverri, Billings, Nizich, Eakes and Troxel one each. Echiverri, Eakes, Wheeler, and Troxel scored two runs each, Billings, Chenoweth, Bentz and Oliva one each.

Oliva started in the circle and pitched four innings, allowed three hits and two runs, walked three batters and struck out 6. Nizich relieved for three innings, allowed four hits and four runs and struck out three.

Madison Inderrieden led West Valley, going 2-4 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBI. The Wolfpack’s Jacquilyn Haberstumpf pitched seven innings, allowed 14 hits and 14 runs, walked four and struck out five.

Saturday started with a junior varsity 9-6 win and ended with a varsity non-conference 9-2 win.

In the varsity game Wheeler led with three RBI and Eakes two. Eakes had two hits. Freshman Sadie Lockhart led with two runs scored. Wheeler pitched two innings, allowed two runs, walked two batters and struck out two.

In the JV contest freshman Ari Ma’ake and Gallettes-Swafford led with one RBI apiece. Ma’ake and freshman Ryann Oliva one hit apiece. R. Oliva and senior Michelle Meeks led with two runs scored.

The JDHS varsity improves to 3-1 in the RBC and 7-4-1 overall.

The Crimson Bears host RBC foe Lathrop at Miller Park on Friday at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The JV will host Sitka at Melvin Park at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. on Friday, and 5 and 7 p.m. on Saturday.

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