Fastpitch Softball: Everett holds off Kamiak for title

MONROE — A puff of wind at exactly the right time helped Everett win its first Northwest 4A District softball championship Saturday.

Kate Defenbach's long fly ball to left field fell just short of the fence for a double instead of clearing it for a home run, and pitcher Cory Mattson made sure the Kamiak runner advanced no farther during a 2-1 Everett win at Sky River Park in the title game.

Mattson, a sophomore, struck out 11 and scored the winning run for Everett (21-2). Kamiak (16-7) will also play in the state tournament this week and will be joined by Monroe (22-2). Monroe eliminated Jackson 2-0 and Edmonds-Woodway 7-0 to claim the district's third seed to state.

Mattson (18-2) was quick to admit her good fortune on Defenbach's long double into the wind that tied the score 1-1 in the fourth inning.

"I definitely thought it was out," Mattson admitted.

So did Kamiak coach Bill Bowker.

"All it needed was a little gust of air," Bowker said. "At the time I was happy it was a double to tie the game because we knew it was going to be a low-scoring game."

Mattson stranded Defenbach at second, getting a pair of popups to end the inning.

Everett scored the winning run in the bottom of the fourth when Alexandra Hudson, Mattson and Elizabeth Ritchie had consecutive hits.

Mattson closed the door after that.

"Mattson is really tough," Bowker said. "She has good location, moves the ball around and changes speeds. Plus, she does a really good job of getting out of trouble."

Monroe coach Kyle Peacocke, whose team beat Kamiak for the third straight time, said his team was intent on making school history.

"We've been to state before, but we've never won a league or district title, so this was really important to us," Peacocke said. "Cory was really on her game today, hitting her spots and mixing things up."

Third-place game

Monroe 7, Edmonds-

Woodway 0 (loser out)

Monroe advanced to state for the first time since 1997 as sophomore Jordan Birch (7-0) pitched a one-hitter. The lone hit for the Warriors (14-10) was Desiree Sanchez's solid single with two outs in the seventh.

Birch, who also had a no-hitter this season, struck out 11 and had a double and triple among her three hits.

"Jordan and Ashly Forsberg are a great one-two punch," Monroe coach Curt Eskeback said. "We've had a great season and it's nice to be going to state."

Loser-out games

Edmonds-Woodway 2,

Mount Vernon 1

Emily Dean allowed two hits, both in the first inning, to end the season for Mount Vernon (14-9). Annika Lindberg doubled and Edmonds-Woodway took advantage of three errors to score both runs in the fourth.

Monroe 2, Jackson 0

Ashly Forsberg struck out seven and allowed five hits, and Kayla Wangner drove in a run and scored the other for Monroe. Tayrn Pierce doubled twice for Jackson (20-3).