Warden shuts down Kittitas in a non-league softball game

WARDEN — There's always temptation to have a drop-off in effort with a non-league game in the middle of the week, but the young Warden softball team stayed the course on a blustery day to beat Kittitas 7-2 for their 11th win of the season.

Jizelle Pruneda stroked a 2-RBI double to cap a three-run fifth inning and the Cougars (11-4, 10-0 SCAC East) won handily over the team they beat for the district championship a year ago. It's a different team, different times, but the same Cougar tradition for a program that starts four freshmen.

“We have a strong tradition here. We've been to state seven years in a row, so we've built quite a program and the kids come in ready to play,” said Cougar coach Wes Richins. “We have some girls going on to play in college and it creates excitement and feeds the program.”

It's that tradition that is the catalyst and the driving force behind Cougar softball said senior Julianna Pruneda, who calls the game for Jizelle Pruneda on the mound.

“We're definitely a young team with four freshmen starting, but we've played a lot of ball together in the summer. This is my fourth year (on the varsity) and I've been to state three years. We're going again this year if we keep it up.”

Ashlyn Yamane is the slapper hitting out of the No. 2 slot. She was 2-for-3 with two RBI in the district championship game last season. She was 2-for-4 on Wednesday against a pretty fair pitcher in Piper Williams. She likes the character of this team moving forward.

“A lot of us have been playing together quite a while,” she said. “Warden softball tradition is important because we're known for a team that gets to state. We do the work. We're throwing a ball or hitting off the tee all year. No matter what the weather, getting ready. We'll be ready.”

Jizelle Pruneda was 3-for-3 with the 2-RBI double. Bailey Whitney and Yamane were both 2-for-4. Pruneda was solid in the circle. She plunked a couple batters because she was working on new stuff, but she held the Coyotes to a single run in the first and fifth innings, coming off a perfect game against Wahluke on Saturday.

“The way the wind was blowing, I felt like I pitched well today,” she said. “We're working hard and the defense is playing great.”

Said Julianna Pruneda, “She was a bit off today because she was practicing her screwball,” the Cougar catcher said. “We focused on working new pitches that will help down the road.”

Warden hosts a doubleheader with River View on Saturday to finish up the month of April.

Score by innings

HITS:

• Jizelle Pruneda 3-for-3 with 2-RBI double.
• Bailey Whitney 2-for-4.
• Ashlyn Yamane 2-for-4.