Othello softball gets rare early elimination
WENATCHEE — State tournament berths have become commonplace for the Othello Lady Huskies softball team. Being eliminated on the tournament's first day has not.
But that's exactly what happened to Othello, which beat Anacortes in its first game Friday before losing to North Mason and Burlington-Edison. Considering the 2A tournament's topsy-turviness this year, however, it wasn't as shocking for Othello head coach Rudy Ochoa and his girls as it could've been. The level of competition was higher, thanks to a number of 3A schools dropping to the 2A ranks this spring. All three Othello opponents fit into that category, including North Mason, last year's 3A runner-up that went on to take the 2A championship Saturday.
"We knew it was going to be tough with the 3A teams," Ochoa said following the season-ending defeat to Burlington-Edison. "I still felt we were very competitive with them."
North Mason 2, Othello 1
There are reasons state tournament officials add a special rule for games lasting more than eight innings. Each team gets a runner at second base to begin the inning, with the theoretical idea of making runs easier to come by.
The state quarterfinal matchup between the Huskies and Bulldogs was a perfect example for enacting the rule. Othello's hitters couldn't touch Bulldog pitcher Katelyn Stanley and North Mason's offense fared the same against Othello's Nina Gonzalez.
The pitchers were, in fact, so dominant that no runners reached base for the first three innings and the Huskies' first hit didn't come until Daniela Villegas beat out an infield dribbler with two outs in the sixth. Othello couldn't capitalize on two Bulldog errors, and North Mason was turned away in the sixth when center fielder Rachel Mohs made a terrific running catch at the fence on Kylee Hull's drive.
In the top of the ninth, Mohs led off with a bunt base hit to move Kylee Mollotte to third. Two batters later, Gonzalez popped a ball into short left field that went skittering off Bulldog shortstop Molly Coppinger's glove, allowing Mollotte to score. But Othello missed its chance for more when Stanley struck out Michelle Wheeler and BeBe Villegas.
North Mason's half of the ninth began in eerily similar fashion as Hannah Marshall led off with a bunt single and put runners at the corners. Marshall stole second and Hull tied the score with a groundout. The Bulldogs tried to win the game with a suicide squeeze, but after fouling off two straight attempts, Melissa Nys lofted a pitch over the drawn-in infield and plated Marshall with the game-winner.
Ochoa was at a loss to explain his hitters' struggles against Stanley. The North Mason junior gave up three hits and no walks in nine innings, striking out eight. While Ochoa said she did a good job of hitting the inside corner, the Lady Huskies took far too many called third strikes.
It spoiled a tremendous effort from Gonzalez, who also gave up three hits and no walks while striking out six in 8 1/3 innings.
"She did a real good job," Ochoa said of the junior. "She's a quiet leader. Just her will out there kept the girls in the game."
Burlington-Edison 15, Othello 7
Othello could've advanced to Saturday's bracket with a win over Burlington-Edison, but came out lacking energy and emotion shortly after its loss to North Mason. The Tigers made the Huskies pay dearly.
B-E plated one run in the first against Wheeler, then broke things open with a seven-spot in the second. All of the runs were unearned because of two Othello errors.
Othello managed to creep within 10-4, scoring once in the second on a Ruby Fuentes RBI single and three times in the fifth courtesy of a Wheeler RBI single and a BeBe Villegas two-run single.
But the Tigers countered quickly, scoring four times in the sixth for a 14-4 advantage. The key blows came on Amy Entrikin's solo home run to left and Katie Demme's RBI double to right.
Ochoa did credit his squad for battling back from its slow start and not quitting until the final out. The Huskies got run-scoring singles in the sixth from Daniela Villegas and Gonzalez to keep the game going, and another RBI single from reserve Jordan McCourtie in the seventh.
"We were real close to being 10-runned and we've never been 10-runned in our lives," Ochoa remarked. "I told them that and they fought back."
Tiger outfielder Lindsey Dawson led her team's 14-hit parade, going 3 for 5 with two runs scored and four RBI. Demme was 3 for 5 with three runs and two RBI, while Entrikin drove in three and scored twice on three hits.
Othello committed six errors behind Wheeler and reliever Gabby Garza, but did have a respectable offensive output. Mohs, BeBe Villegas and Daniela Villegas all went 2 for 4 to lead the Huskies' 12-hit attack.
Othello 7, Anacortes 2
Othello reached the quarterfinals behind a solid pitching performance, timely hitting and some sloppy Seahawks' defense. Gonzalez went the first four innings, with Michelle Wheeler cleaning up for the last three. The juniors combined to allow five hits and one walk with 11 strikeouts.
The Lady Huskies grabbed a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the second and were never threatened again. Mandy Garza put them on the board with a bases-loaded walk and Alexis Montemayor bounced a two-run single to center for a 3-0 lead.
Daniela Villegas scored Garza with an infield hit, and Gonzalez followed with a shot off the shortstop's glove for two more runs.
Anacortes got on the board in the fourth against Gonzalez, scoring once on three singles, but had its rally end when Mohs made a great throw from left field to get Rachel Nelson digging for third.
The Seahawks got within 6-2 in the sixth on Maria Roney's RBI double, but Othello answered in its half when Gonzalez ripped a two-out double off the left-field fence and Wheeler followed with a single to right.
Othello graduates just three seniors — Mandy Garza, Mohs and Daniela Villegas — and Ochoa mentioned many positives to take away from a 22-4 season.
"This has been the most fun I've had in a long time coaching these girls," he said, "because they support each other and they have fun."