2023 SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT RECAP

The Saints entered the NWAC Softball Championship tournament as the No. 5 seed but things got off to a slow start. First, the defending champs were upset 7-3 by Lower Columbia, so were sent to the consolation bracket where another loss meant elimination. They played again on Thursday night, falling behind Spokane 2-0 early before they blasted to an 8-2 lead. But the Sasquatch fought back to force extras and it was 8-8 in the bottom of the 8th before Lexi Geary hit a walk-off ground-rule double for a 9-8 win, getting the Saints to Day 2.

Friday began early with a 10 a.m. game vs. the Walla Walla Warriors, who they easily took care of, 12-2 in five innings, to earn a midday matinee against the Columbia Basin Hawks who gave them a fight. But the Saints surged again to win 8-3 to advance tp a third game that day against North division winner Bellevue, who unfortunately ended their season, winning 14-4 in five innings. The players spent a long time huddling afterwards, saying final goodbyes. The Southwestern Oregon Lakers went on to win the title game, 6-1, against Clackamas (Mt. Hood faced neither team) – that one run for Clackamas the lone run Lakers pitchers gave up all weekend.

I asked some of the team to reflect on how they felt abut the season and any final messages they had to say. Take a look below at some of the responses.