Prep softball: Warriors just miss state tourney

PALMER - First-year Wasilla High softball coach Sue Allen had all the paperwork ready to send that would enter her team into the state championship tournament, scheduled for next weekend. All she needed was for her team to defeat visiting North Pole Saturday.

Sadly for the Warriors, Allen will have to recycle the paperwork following a disappointing 12-0 loss to the Patriots Saturday in Palmer.

The Warriors were hoping to make a return trip to the state championships, while the Patriots were playing to improve their seeding, and avoid having the top-seeded squad in their half of the bracket.

&#8220We've really come along way from the start of the season,” Allen said. &#8220We have six girls who have never played fast pitch before on the team. So for us to be so close to making the state tournament is really exciting.”

While the Warriors were close to extending their season, the game Saturday was never close.

The Patriots jumped ahead 2-0 in the first inning following a bunt single by lead-off batter Ashley Wilson and they never looked back.

Wasilla junior Anne Wesser kept things close over the first three innings, striking out six batters, before the Patriots adjusted and managed the first of two big innings in the fourth.

After giving up four walks and three hits before recording the first out of the inning, the Warriors saw a 3-0 deficit grow to 8-0. During the inning, Wesser walked in two runs and gave up a two-run double to Amy Holt.

The Patriots added to their lead in the fifth, thanks to a two-run triple from Bailee Holt and an RBI bunt single from Bonnie Heinekin.

The Warriors best scoring chance came in their final at bat as Jenny Naujeks reach third after a lead off single and a pair of stolen bases. She was caught too far off the bag, and thrown out by the Patriots catcher Jen Hall, dashing any hopes of the Warriors had of erasing the goose egg off the score board.

Wesser struck out nine North Pole batters in the five inning loss and went two for three at the plate.

North Pole coach Rod Avery was happy with his teams victory and what it might mean for his team next weekend, yet the was trouble with the lack of focus he saw late in the game.

&#8220It's great to get a win,” Avery said. &#8220Every victory now will improve our positioning in the brackets for the state tournament. But I think the girls lost sight of the game and began to look ahead to next weekend. We let so many scoring chances slip away and made some silly base running errors today. We can't afford to do that next weekend.”

The Warriors will have to wait for next season, but things look good according to Allen.

&#8220We have one senior who just played her last game,” Allen said. I am sad to have her finish with such a big loss. But the rest of the 16 players should all be back. I think all the experience they gained this year will make us a better team in the future.”

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or at darrell.breese@frontiersman.com.

North Pole 12, Wasilla 0

Patriots 201 54 - 12 9 1

Warriors 000 00 - 0 3 3

Pitching - Wasilla: Wesser and Elkins. North Pole: Heinekin, B. Holt and A. Holt. W - Heinekiin. L - Wesser. 2B - A. Holt. 3B - B. Holt.