Warriors edge Knights in extra inning

WASILLA — Last with six runs on the scoreboard, the Wasilla Warriors watched the Colony Knights rally and their lead disappear.

Colony walked off the field with a 10-6 win over the Warriors.

In the rematch on Wednesday, Wasilla once again stood with six runs on the scoreboard.

And then came a wicked case of déjà vu.

With the Warriors leading 6-1 in the top of the fifth, Colony plated five runs to tie the score itself. But history would not completely repeat itself. The Warriors used extra innings to score a 7-6 prep softball win over the Knights at Wasilla High School.

“We’ve typically had one bad inning every game. That’s how teams come back and rally on us,” Wasilla head coach Tyler Gilligan said after the victory. “It’s great to see us have that inning, but still have that opportunity to come back and rally. I’m really glad we had the chance to squeak one out, but we really need to work on that one bad inning.”

Danika Gilbert scored on second on a Diondra Lawhead single to right field to provide the game-winning run for the Warriors. Gilbert started the bottom of the sixth on second base — teams automatically start extra innings with a runner on second according to high school softball rules — and Lawhead needed only one pitch to drive in Gilbert.

“We got lucky coming back to the top of the order. Getting (Danika) on second base is huge. He’s a great base runner,” Gilligan said. “(Diondra) is probably our highest on-base percentage batter. She rips line drives every time.”

Wasilla pitcher Jordan Malave had to pitch the Warriors out of a jam in the top of the inning. Colony’s Bryanna Scarratt got the free pass to second base at the start of the sixth. Scarratt quickly stole third to leave her just straight shot from home.

With the runner in scoring position, Malave struck out consecutive Knights before ending the top of the inning with a pop out to the catcher.

“Jordan is just a stud. Plain and simple,” Gilligan said. “She leads the team every single game.”

Her work in the sixth also came after a run fifth in which Colony tagged Malave and the Warriors for three hits, three walks and five runs.

“It’s all mental for her. When she wants to she can do anything,” Gilligan said.

Colony pushed its first five hitters of the fifth across home plate. Halie Willeford sparked her team with a lead-off single. Scarratt followed with another single, and Alyssa Oswald reached on a Wasilla error. A pair of Knights scored as Oswald reached on the error, and Colony cut the lead to 6-3. After Danyel Finley walked, Tess Finley punched a ball into left fied to drive in two. Finley later scored on a Wasilla passed ball to tie the game at 6.

Wasilla took an early lead with a pair of first-inning runs. Malave was hit by a pitch at the top of the frame, and hustled around to score when Gilbert reached on an error. Gilbert scored on another error later in the inning to give Wasilla the 2-0 lead.

Wasilla added to its lead in the second with a Malavae RBI double. Kylie Everett walked and scored in the third to give Colony its first run of the game.

Malave struck again in the fourth with another double. Gilbert singled, and both Malave and Gilbert scored on a Lawhead double.

Later in the inning, Jewel Fleckenstein sent a rocket off the Colony shortstop, and Lawhead scored to give Wasilla the 6-1 lead.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.