Turnabout is fair play, just ask the Kentlake High fastpitch team, which beat Tahoma 5-2 on Thursday night.
This came little more than 24 hours after Tahoma beat Kentlake 6-5.
“I don’t think we ever had a doubt it would turn out differently,” said Kentlake catcher Brittany Styger.
Center fielder Erin Crowley added that the Falcons used the loss to Tahoma on Wednesday “to pump us up.”
It was a match up between two teams that have been playing against each other since seventh grade.
“It’s been a rivalry for us for as long as we can remember,” Crowley said.
The rivalry continued from the start of the game as Tahoma drew first blood when Shelby Carter smashed a solo shot over the center field fence with two outs.
In the bottom of the second Kentlake tied it up when Crowley scored on Jessie Richardson’s single up the middle.
All four of Kentlake’s seniors are captains and when the game was tight early on, Styger said, they tried to motivate their teammates.
“Constantly every game, the four of us are trying to keep the team loud in the dugout,” Styger said.
The Falcons took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third but the Bears threatened to tie the game in the top of the fifth.
With two outs and Courtney Visaya in scoring position, Emily Miller hit a line drive double, making the score 3-2.
Miller was ready and waiting to score the tying run at third base when Carter hit the ball into foul territory along the first base line which Kentlake’s Libby Riehl caught for the third out of the inning.
Kentlake plated a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Kellie Nielsen hit a long single up the middle. Hannah Sauget moved Nielsen over on a sacrifice bunt. Crowley hit a double, driving in Nielsen, then Erika Smyth brought in the fifth run for the Falcons on a squeeze play.
“We have a lot of faith in our team,” Crowley said. “We’re a really well rounded team. The fact that I get RBIs as a leadoff says a lot.”
Styger added that it isn’t just the four seniors who drive the team, “our one through nine is rock solid,” and that is balanced by a strong defense.
With the win, on Senior Night no less, Kentlake finished the regular season 14-2. Tahoma dropped to 12-2 with a pair of games remaining against Thomas Jefferson Friday and Mount Rainier on Saturday.
“We overanalyzed yesterday,” explained senior Jessie Richardson. “Today we fixed that problem. Now we’re in a really good position.”
The next time Kentlake plays will be starting May 12 in the South Puget Sound League playoffs.
“I think it’s really nice because we get to relax,” Smyth said. “They’re playing two really good teams.”
If, however, Tahoma beats both of those really good teams and like in 2010 the Bears and the Falcons end the season tied after splitting their series, they may just get a chance for best two games out of three.
Smyth explained that after a coin flip decided the tie breaker a year ago the rules have been changed to allow for a one game playoff to decide the winner of the South Puget Sound League 4A North Division.
“I hope they win both games,” Smyth said of Tahoma. “I want to play them again.”
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