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PHOTO BY BEN MILLER

KELLY RUTH

Eight errors send Rams to title

By Ben Miller

Making errors in a softball game against a talented team is a good way to put extra runs on the board for your opponent. Making eight errors in the same game, as the Stadium Tigers learned May 9 against the Wilson Rams, is a good way to cost yourself a win and a Narrows League title.

The Rams (17-2) used errors and a strong pitching performance by Kelly Ruth to defeat Stadium (15-2) by a score of 5-1 to earn their third straight Narrows League championship and the No. 1 seed to the West Central District playoffs.

“It’s even better because we’re seniors,” Ruth said about winning the league title.

Ruth pitched all seven innings of the game, giving up four hits and one run while striking out five. Before the game, though, she didn’t think she was going to come out with a strong performance against the Tigers.

“I didn’t think I was going to do very good because I had a really bad warm up,” she said. She also noted that before the game she had to see a physical therapist because of a sore wrist. “My team stepped up and really helped me, so it was good.”

Wilson scored its first run of the game in the top of the third, and the Tigers gave up their first of four unearned runs in the contest. Shortstop Amber Roberts reached base on an error by Heidy Wells and ended up scoring from second when a third strike on Courtney Cabrera got away from Stadium catcher Sarah Glennon and the throw to first went long.

“They put the pressure on us and they put the ball in play,” said Stadium coach Lynn Batchelder. “Obviously you don’t win softball games when you make eight errors in a game.”

In the sixth inning, the Rams scored again. With one out, Erin Cross hit a single up the middle to reach first, and with two outs outfielder Taylor Darnielle hit a pop up to the Stadium second baseman in what looked like the final out of the inning.

However, on the play Taylor Gomsrud ran into the second baseman’s glove as the ball was coming down, allowing the Rams to avoid the third out of the inning and for Cross to score from second. The Rams were up 2-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth.

“They made a few mistakes,” said Wilson coach Ron Ballmer. “We got runners on base and made things happen – it’s too bad for them, they’re a good team.”

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Stadium started to rally. A walk by Anna Dudley to lead off the inning led to pinch runner Chelsae Titus scoring from second on a single by Jordy Kurtz four batters later. Though the deficit was cut to one at 2-1, it was the only time the Tigers scored in the game.

Roberts, Britney Dinelt and Cabrera all led off the inning with singles to load the bases. And a pair of errors by the Tigers drove them home to give the Rams three more runs and allow them to win 5-1.

“We’re a hitting team, but we do push the extra bases and that works for us usually,” Roberts said. “Sometimes, it doesn’t but I think today it did.”

Kurtz was the losing pitcher for Stadium, but she pitched seven innings while striking out nine and giving up no earned runs. “We’re going to work on getting refocused,” Batchelder said.

Both teams bounce back into play May 16 for the opening two rounds of the West Central District tournament. Wilson opens the district playoffs up against Kentwood – the South Puget Sound League’s (SPSL) No. 9 team – while Stadium will face SPSL No. 8 Curtis. Both games are at 10 a.m. at Sprinker Recreation Center.

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