14U Lakers take seventh at Summer Nationals

NEWBERG, OR — Polson's 14U Lakers traveled to Oregon this past weekend to play in the Summer Nationals softball tourney and finished seventh out of the 40-team field. The Lakers went 4-3 on the weekend.

Polson's first game was against the Salem Slyders from Oregon. Polson fell 5-2 to the Slyders in a hard-fought game. Dakota Peterson pitched the game for the Lakers.

"They were a really good team. Peterson kept them off balance," said head coach Paul Noble.

In the sixth inning Christa Red Crow put down a bunt that got her on base. After stealing second teammate Rochelle Woods knocked home Red Crow to put Polson on the boards. In the seventh Charlee Jenson drove in Caitlyn Vassar from second, but Polson trailed 4-2. Polson's scoring drive was to little too late.

"You could just tell they (Slyders) were big and played well," said Noble.

Polson rebounded from falling to the Slyders by shutting out the Hurricanes of Oregon in five innings, mercy rule game. On the mound was Sarah Newton who went the distance and sat down five and only allowed five hits.

"She was just over powering them with her fast ball and drop ball," Noble said, smiling.

Polson's Cecilly Grant started things off for the Lakers when she smacked the ball to right field and scored Staci Benson and Woods. With the 2-0 advantage after one Polson added to that lead during the second inning when they marked up seven runs. Most of the runs came after the bases were loaded and a couple singles brought home runners.

"It was a big inning with not many big hits, just some singles and walks," said Noble.

Polson was able to carry over the winning momentum against the Aloha Breeze, another team from Oregon. The Lakers finished on top 4-3. Peterson picked up the win after pitching a complete game.

In the second inning Polson went up 3-0 but then in the top of the sixth the Breeze rallied and scored three, tying the game at 3-3. Then in the bottom of the sixth Sarah Newton's inside-the-park homer lifted the Lakers to a 4-3 victory. Newton's homer didn't see any errors on the Breeze. According to Noble she was rounding third by the time the outfielder even touched the ball and there was no play at home.

After knocking off the Breeze, the Lakers played the Yreka California Heat. Peterson was on the mound and went the distance recording six strikeouts and getting the win. Polson topped the Heat 4-3. Polson scored first and had the 1-0 lead, when Yreka scored three runs in the top of the sixth to give them the 3-1 advantage.

"At the point it was 3-1, I was a little nervous," said Noble.

But in the bottom of the sixth inning the Lakers had three hits in a row from McDonald, Benson, and Woods. Woods drove in McDonald to cut the lead to 3-2. Newton hit another inside-the-park homer to score Woods and herself. After Newton crossed the plate the umpires called the game because of the time limit.

"Both of Newton's hits would have been over the fence in any regulation park," Noble said.

After winning over Yreka in a dramatic fashion the Lakers next faced the Nemesis, a team from Seattle. The team came into the game against Polson with a record 105-0. Polson fell 11-5 in a hard fought game. Noble said that most of Seattle's runs came from errors.

In the sixth inning Woods sent a shot to left center and ended up at third base. Next at bat was Lindsey Ritzheimer who smacked the ball for a double and scored Woods from third. Newton then brought home Ritzheimer, and McDonald would get an RBI after knocking in Newton. Even after the rally Polson trailed 11-5 and the game was called on account of time.

After losing to Seattle, Polson regrouped before squaring off against the Beaverton Spirit squad. Again it was Peterson on the mound and she was backed up by great defense. Polson trailed 3-1 in the top of the sixth, then Red Crow hit a single, Woods also knocked a single and Ritzheimer connected with the ball for a triple and scored Red Crow and Woods tying the game 3-3. In the seventh inning Charlee Jenson hit a triple to right field and then scored on a passed ball at home to give the Lakers the 4-3 victory.

Noble was happy with his team's play against the Spirit. He said the other team's pitcher was known to throw the ball in the high 50s.

After losing two Polson was in a loser-out game against the Oregon Renegades. Polson was down 6-1 in the seventh, then they got five hits in a row and scored two more. The Lakers final two runs came when Vassar singled to score McDonald and Grant drove in Jenson to get the game within three. In her final at bat Red Crow sent a shot down the third base line that, if fair, could have scored both runners on base but was just inches from hitting chalk, according to Noble, who was the third base coach at the time. Polson fell out of the tourney after losing 6-3 to the Renegades.

"It was the right call," he said of the foul ball.

Vassar caught for the team, and Noble said she made some great plays from behind the plate, and got a few throw-outs at second and took some powerful charges defending home plate from some big girls.

Newton was named to the tourney all-world team.

"She played great. She played third and pitched well," said Noble.

The Lakers finished the season with a record of 21-16 and placed seventh at the Summer Nationals.

"We were peaking at the right time. We could have won it as easy as we took seventh. There were a lot of good teams that played great ball there," said Noble.