Sumner fastpitch: SHS clinging to plans for postseason berth

The Sumner High fastpitch squad’s rollercoaster season continued at the rain-delayed subdistrict tournament at Parkland’s Sprinker Recreation Center Friday and Monday, when Sumner was slated to rendezvous in its third game of the elimination series with White River. The Hornets have been teetering on the brink of elimination for the past week.

By John Leggett • May 20, 2009 2:14 am

The Sumner High fastpitch squad’s rollercoaster season continued at the rain-delayed subdistrict tournament at Parkland’s Sprinker Recreation Center Friday and Monday, when Sumner was slated to rendezvous in its third game of the elimination series with White River. The Hornets have been teetering on the brink of elimination for the past week.

Results of that Monday contest were not available at press time but can be found at www.courierherald.com. The winner will advance to the West Central District tournament Friday and Saturday, again at Sprinker.

Sumner earned a return trip to Sprinker by virtue of annihilating Hazen High of the Seamount League 13-1 in five innings.

Out of a possible 15 outs in the abridged five-stanza affair with the Highlanders, Sumner senior pitcher Katie Littlefield got 12 of those via the strikeout route. In addition, Littlefield relinquished a paltry three hits and walked only two.

Offensively against Hazen it was a true team effort as Sumner’s Rory Zambard went 3-for-5 at the dish with four runs batted in, sophomore catcher Dani Babcock went 2-for-3, Abbey Simmons 2-for-2 and Krysta Beers smacked a solo roundtripper in the fifth frame to seal Hazen’s fate.

In the ensuing encounter, the hot-and-cold Spartans, who entered subdistricts as the No. 5 seed out of the South Puget Sound League 3A, found the sledding a bit more difficult against an always tenacious Auburn Mountainview crew that entered as No. 4 out of the SPSL 3A.

Sumner had six hits to Mountainview’s two, and Beers notched four of those hits, as she went 4-for-4 and swiped four bases. But Sumner lost to the Lions 4-3 as a tuckered-out Littlefield, pitching both games in 80 degree heat, issued four free passes and the Spartans committed three errors to allow the Lions back into the game after going ahead 3-2 in the top of the fourth inning. Auburn Mountainview seized its opportunities and recorded two more runs in the bottom of the fifth frame to claim the 4-3 triumph.

Reach John Leggett at jleggett@courierherald.com or 360-802-8207.