South pitching stymies CK, Oly hitters

There’s no trophy or official recognition that comes with it, but the South Kitsap High School fastpitch team is reveling in its sweep of all the Narrows League Bridge Division teams that hail from Kitsap County.

That is a perfect 8-0 record against North Kitsap, Bremerton, Central Kitsap and Olympic.

The Wolves ensured its first perfect record against fellow county rivals after earning a 3-1 win at home against CK and a 4-2 win at Olympic Thursday.

The wins also clinched at least second place in the division for the Wolves, which will play either Capital or Mount Tahoma for the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds into the West Central District tournament May 19 at Sprinker Recreation Center.

That game will prove pivotal because the loser earns the No.4 seed and must open the district tournament against the Southwest League (Vancouver area) No. 1. The No. 3 Narrows League team opens against the SPSL No.5 seed.

SK ( 10-3 League, 12-4 overall,) concluded its regular season yesterday at Shelton (2-12).

SK sophomore pitcher Brittany Miller was two outs away from a no-hitter before CK’s Jackie Quint beat out Stephanie Solarek’s throw for an infield hit in the top of the seventh inning.

The hit allowed Emily Zygmontowicz to score from second base, but the run didn’t matter.

Miller induced two groundouts to end the game.

Miller said she wasn’t even aware she had a no-no going.

“Did I have a no hitter?,” Miller asked. “I didn’t even know I had a no hitter going. Once I get in a zone I just pay attention to the next batter.”

Miller’s so-called “zone” was an understatement.

She was flat out unhittable for most of the CK players.

She struck out nine batters and only had one fly ball reach the outfield.

For five innings both Miler and CK’s Quint were equally dominating.

CK coach Bruce Welling relieved Quint after the fifth inning with another star pitcher, Sheena Stangler.

Stangler also came in at a time the SK baseball team decided to take a break from practice.

The baseball player’s loud cackles might have contributed to CK’s uncharacteristic defense in the bottom of the sixth inning.

SK’s Cathy Kniess opened the inning with a trip to first base after an error by CK’s second baseman Shauna Bernabe.

After a Stephanie Mott pop-out, Savannah Starkweather and Chantal Boddie followed with singles to load the bases.

Stangler walked Miller to give SK a 1-0 lead.

Heather Grinde grounded the ball to Bernabe who tried to throw Starkweather out at home but the throw was high, giving SK a 2-0 lead.

The Wolves closed out the scoring on Melissa Ballard’s run-scoring infield single.

Welling said he was impressed with both team’s pitching.

The CK errors late in the game were uncharacteristic though, he said.

“We made two errors and it was the first two errors in the last seven games,” Welling said. “It happens. You don’t win these games, you lose these games. South didn’t make mistakes and we made mistakes.”

Welling said he believes there’s only one game CK has lost over the last 11 years without giving it away.

“In the last eleven years we’ve lost 45 ballgames and we’ve only been beaten once,” he said. “We gave away 44 games. Marysville-Pilchuck is the only team that beat us where we did everything right.”

Against Olympic, SK scored three of its four runs in the first inning and held on for the victory.

SK scored two runs off errors and a third on Starkweather’s RBI single in the first inning.

Sophomore Amanda Galla went five strong innings for the win against Lauren Haas. Miller pitched two innings of relief for the save.

“It was a frustrating loss,” Olympic coach Rachel Davenport said, whose team needed to get a win yesterday against North Kitsap to keep its playoff hopes alive.

The loss to SK means the Trojans (6-5, 6-6) need to win not only against the Vikings (8-5, 10-6), but also take both make-up games next week against League-leading Port Angeles (9-2, 12-3.) The Trojans play at PA on Tuesday and are at home Thursday.

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