Best finish in school history – second in state

Published 8:36 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008

TACOMA – The postseason for the Mount Si Wildcats girls’ softball team was nothing short of remarkable with the squad winning four loser-out victories to reach the state tournament. Once the Wildcats got to Tacoma for the state tourney last weekend, four heart-stopping games lead up to a shot at the state championship game for the Wildcats.

Although they lost the game to the Yelm Tornadoes of the Pac-9 league from Thurston County 1-0, each and every player who was on the field for Mount Si gave their all to go for it all.

“We had our chances … one unearned run [was the] difference in the game. Kandis [Clesson] pitched her heart out,” said Mount Si coach Larry White. “Our girls battled all the way down to the end. I believed in the bottom of the seventh, still, we [were] going to come back and win it, and I know the team did too.”

That one unearned run came in the top of the first inning. Tornadoes’ senior shortstop Ashley Baker singled. Freshman outfielder Brandi Cavanaugh grounded out to third for the first out. Wildcats’ first baseman Katie Morgan then threw the ball wide of second base into left field, allowing Baker to score to put Yelm up 1-0.

Clesson settled down after that, but ran into trouble in the third. Singles by the Tornadoes’ Baker and sophomore outfielder Jessica Merritt put runners on base. However, the defense held up and got out of the inning unscathed.

It was more of the same in the fourth and the sixth as Yelm base hits put runners on base, but the defense continued to be excellent and kept getting Clesson out of trouble.

Mount Si’s best opportunity to tie came in the bottom of the third. Two-out singles by Morgan and junior Ashley Svarthumle, along with a fielder’s choice by Trenkamp, allowed the Wildcats to mount a rally. However, on Svarthumle’s single, Trenkamp was sent home from second base and was thrown out at home plate. That was it, as Tornadoes’ senior pitcher Ruth Anderson, who will be pitching for Lower Columbia Community College next year, was perfect from the fourth inning on and Yelm held on to clinch their first state title.

Mount Si junior outfielder Emily White was unapologetic about this season.

“We knew we were going to be here. I mean, we started off weak, but it pays off when you become a team. We are not sorry. We played our hearts out and that’s all you can ask for,” White said. “They’re a good team.”

Anderson echoed the sentiment.

“All day they played their hearts out. [We] couldn’t have done better. [I’m] so proud of every single one of them. People on the bench, they just were in it,” said Anderson.

Wildcats’ sophomore outfielder Sam Baldwin saw the same out of her team’s bench.

“Our bench was just amazing all through the game. Even if they weren’t playing, we were loud, and some of us were even getting dizzy we were yelling so loud,” Baldwin said.

Next year promises to be even better than the 2004 season.

“You know, we’re going to come back next year with a bullseye on our back because we won’t lose anybody, so it’s quite an honor and we’re going to work our tails off in the off season, and try to make a return. There’s a little bit of unfinished business right over here,” said Larry White, pointing to the first-place Tornadoes.