KingCo 4A Softball: Inglemoor stuns Redmond

REDMOND — Top-seeded Redmond employed "small ball" to jump ahead early, but Inglemoor answered with the big play to shock the Mustangs 5-2 Thursday in the semifinals of the KingCo 4A softball tournament at Redmond High School.

Inglemoor (16-6), the fourth-place team from the Mountain Division, overcame a 2-0 deficit to advance to a winner-to-state tournament championship game at noon Saturday, when the tournament moves to Hidden Valley Park in Bellevue. The Vikings face defending Class 4A state champion Woodinville, which edged Juanita 2-1 Thursday.

The loss ended a 17-game winning streak by Redmond (18-3), whose 16-0 KingCo 4A record included a 2-0 win at home over Inglemoor on April 17. The Mustangs must win three games Saturday to earn their first state-tournament berth since 1992.

"That's the second time we played them that they went ahead 2-0," Vikings coach Jeff Skelly said. "But once we got that spark going, it seemed like everybody, from one to nine, got going."

Inglemoor's Megan Therson broke up a no-hit bid by Redmond pitcher Blaire Porter with a two-out RBI triple that tied the score 2-2 in the fifth inning. Moments later, Thorson scored the go-ahead run on a single by Alex Ponce.

"That hit was so nice to get right there," said Thorson, whose drive deep to left field barely eluded a diving try by the Mustangs' Madalyn Ohrt. "It was one of those hits where you don't even feel it."

Inglemoor pushed the lead to 5-2 in the sixth on singles by Lauren Smoot and Michelle Wrigley and a sacrifice fly by Emily Hardin.

In the bottom of the sixth, Redmond loaded the bases with one out. But Wrigley stabbed an infield chopper at third base and threw home to Ponce to start a 5-2-3 double play that ended the inning — and the Mustangs' last threat against Inglemoor pitcher Nalani Akana.

"I pretty much knew Alex [Ponce] was gonna do that," Thorson said. "She was trying all season to turn that play. It was fun to see."

Other semifinal

At Woodinville 2, Juanita 1

Erin Fisher led off the bottom of the sixth with a walk, advanced to third on a single and a sacrifice bunt, and scored on a wild pitch to snap a 1-1 tie and put the Falcons (20-2) in the tournament championship game. Jackie Lawrence's RBI triple put Woodinville up 1-0, and Juanita tied it on an RBI by Sam Peterson. Lindsay Boughton of the Falcons tossed a two-hitter with seven strikeouts to outduel Traci Odegard, who allowed four hits for the Rebels (17-5). It was Woodinville's 11th consecutive victory since a loss to Redmond on April 10.

Loser-out games

At Eastlake 1,

Ballard 0 (10 inn.)

Senior pitcher Erin Schindler went the distance in a four-hitter and the Wolves (16-6) broke a scoreless tie with a run in the bottom of the 10th to eliminate the Beavers (11-11).

At Skyline 3, Bothell 2

Alexa Upper allowed three hits and Remy Kawaguchi scored a run and drove in another to help the Spartans (9-11) remain alive and send the Cougars (10-11) home.