Washington high school (WIAA) state softball 2023: Live score updates, featured storylines and top performers

Top-seeded Jackson in through to the Class 4A semifinals, but Bothell, Skyview fall; 11th-seeded Walla Walla shocks Liberty of Issaquah with big seventh inning to reach 3A final four

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LACEY, Wash. - In the dugout, Walla Walla players - trailing by five runs in the final inning - chatted about recent news.

"Let's have a (University of Washington) Husky comeback right now," is what Blue Devils pitcher Zoe Hardy admitted was being said among teammates.

And they did.

Eleventh-seeded Walla Walla scored eight runs in the seventh inning - the last six with two outs - to stun 3A KingCo champion Liberty of Issaquah, 9-6, in the quarterfinals of the WIAA Class 3A tournament at the RAC.

With two outs, the Blue Devils put together three consecutive singles and a walk, then tied and took the lead, 7-6, on wild pitches.

Finally, up stepped first baseman Clarabelle Hall, who started the inning with a strikeout. She launched a two-run screamer over the center-field wall to complete the scoring eruption.

"This whole year has been a fight for us," Hall said.

Liberty tallied two runs in the first and third innings, and got solo home runs from Layne Ford in the fourth inning, and Emi Connell to in the fifth inning to grab a 6-1 lead.

The Patriots were in control - and then suddenly lost it.

"We talked before we went into (the seventh inning), 'You’ve go to start making some tiny adjustments and battle and battle and battle.'" Walla Walla softball coach Arch McHie said.

"It was hot out there. Our kids have been playing in it for a couple weeks. Their pitcher (Elyse McMullin), who is incredibly good, just got worn down a little it ... and our kids hit her mistakes."

Other 3A quarterfinal games: 

Roosevelt 7, Bonney Lake 3: In their second time in the WIAA championships, the Roughriders will be going to back-to-back semifinals.

Steffi Young and Abby Williams hit run-scoring doubles in the first inning, and Sammie Wright added another RBI double to highlights Roosevelt's three-run second inning - and the 3A Metro League champions are moving on.

Snohomish 7, Mount Spokane 3: Evalyn Massena's three-run home run highlighted a five-run third inning, and the Panthers are back in the state semifinals for the first time since 2018.

Skyla Bristol pitched six-plus scoreless innings, striking out 16 Mount Spokane batters.

Peninsula 8, Gig Harbor 0: By defeating their city rival for a third consecutive time, the Seahawks are in unchartered waters - first-timers in the state semifinals.

Alli Kimball pitched all seven innings, striking out 13 Tides batters in her three-hit performance. Glory Estabrook had four hits, including a two-run double that gave Peninsula a 3-0 lead.

CLASS 3A FIRST ROUND

There were plenty of times when Walla Walla softball could have called it a day this spring.

The Blue Devils started 1-11. First-time coach Jason Postlewait stepped down early in the season to fight brain cancer. Standout pitcher Zoe Hardy had an extended illness.

But in May, they have come to life.

The District 8 champions got a run-scoring single by Lauryn Bergevin, then an RBI triple by Sara Justice to break a tie in the ninth inning, and Walla Walla survived past Bishop Blanchet, 6-4, in the opening round of the WIAA Class 3A tournament at the RAC.

"We’ll take it," said Arch McHie, who returned to coach the team when Postlewait resigned. "Zoe was dealing today (from the circle). We did not help her defensively. But she just kept us in the game, and we had some clutch hits when we needed it."

The Blue Devils had a 4-2 lead in the seventh inning before the Bears rallied to tie the game on Gracie Kindred's RBI single to left field, and a bases-loaded walk by Sadie Mellroth.

Hardy wiggled out of a couple of jams to keep it tied - and her offense round a way.

"We started 1-11 … and there were a lot of times when we just could have said, ‘We’re done!’" McHie said. "But this team gritted it and found a way.

"Our saying right now, ‘We play for Posty.’"

Photo by Todd Milles

Other first-round 3A games:

Mount Spokane 13, Mountlake Terrace 12: Willow Almquist crushed a three-run home run, and Jessica Waters added a solo shot as the 4A/3A GSL champions survived a slugfest.

Mountlake Terrace hit three home runs in its five-run seventh inning to close the gap, but the game ended on a fielder's choice ground ball.

Snohomish 8, Heritage 3: The 3A Wesco champions tallied four first-inning runs, and Skyla Bristol and Emma Hansen each hit two-run home runs in the Panthers' victory.

Liberty of Issaquah 11, Timberline 1: The 3A KingCo champions exploded for six runs in the second inning, triggered by back-to-back one-out doubles by Avery Huh and Abby Gallas, who finished 3-for-3.

Peninsula 9, Juanita 1: Alli Kimball struck out 12 batters in her complete-game two-hitter, and she also blasted a three-run home run in the fourth inning to carry the Seahawks to victory.

Bonney Lake 16, Stanwood 0: Kyla Cross had three hits, including a home run, and Bella Carazo pitched a five-inning no-hitter for the 3A PCL champions in a victory.

Gig Harbor 17, Cascade of Everett 8: The Tides had 19 hits, including a pair of two-run home runs by Gracie Carey, in capturing a first-round victory.

Carey's first home run highlight Gig Harbor's five-run second inning. Her second blast came in the fifth inning.

Roosevelt 6, Kennewick 5 (9): Maddie Lee's sacrifice fly to center field scored the game-winning run, sending the Roughriders into the quarterfinals. 

CLASS 4A UPDATES (Live bracket)

Quarterfinals

Glacier Peak 3, Skyview 1: The Grizzlies took advantage of Maddie Milhorn's wildness (walk, two base hits and hit by pitch) to score the winning runs in the seventh inning.

Milhorn plunked Bri Titus with the bases loaded to give Glacier Peak a 2-1 lead - and Katelyn McCallum later added a run-scoring sacrifice fly.

Millhorn gave up three runs in seven innings, striking out 11 Grizzlies batters.

Kentwood 3, Bothell 0: There is a reason why Sarah Wright is the reigning Gatorade state player of the year - she has the ability to handcuff any lineup.

In arguably her best performance of the spring, Wright tossed a three-hitter, striking out 15 in knocking out one of the co-favorites out of the championship bracket.

Wright, an Arizona pledge, hit a solo home run in the third inning to give the Conquerors a 1-0 lead.

Jackson 5, Rogers of Puyallup 3: Rachel Sysum did it again - she hit an important home run, and it sends the Timberwolves to the state semifinals for a fourth consecutive WIAA tournament.

Sysum broke a 3-3 tie with her towering two-run home run to straightaway center field in the seventh inning.

Richland 8, Puyallup 0: The hot-hitting Bombers used a string of hits - and speed - to get to Vikings' starter Izzy Welch for seven runs in two innings.

The 4A/3A MCC champions are in the state semifinals for the first time since 2019.

First-round games

Glacier Peak 4, Battle Ground 3: Faith Jordan snapped a 3-3 tie with her RBI triple in the fifth inning as the Grizzlies survived a thriller in Richland.

Trailing 3-0, the Tigers tied it in the fifth on Brooke Rausch's two-run double, and Candice Adams' RBI double.

Skyview 2, Olympia 0: Shaking off an ankle injury suffered at districts last week, Maddie Milhorn threw a two-hit shutout, striking out 11 as the reigning state runner-up advanced past the Bears.

Kentwood 1, Emerald Ridge 0: Sarah Rothenberger’s home run off the center-field scoreboard in the seventh inning broke a scoreless tie, and backed Sarah Wright's complete-game one-hitter as the Conquerors edged the Jaguars.

Wright struck out 13 batters

Bothell 19, Hanford 0: Senior Taryn Bennett tossed a five-inning no-hitter, and Julianne Rose's home run was one of the Cougars' seven extra-base hits in a shutout victory.

Rogers of Puyallup 9, Kamiak 3: Rams tallied six runs over the final three innings in snapping a 3-3 tie.

Richland 7, Moses Lake 1: The Bombers opened the game with a three-run inning and cruised to a victory over the Chiefs.

Puyallup 7, Eastmont 0: Lauryn Krick went the distance for the victory, striking out nine hitters, and the Vikings blew the game open with a six-run fifth inning in the victory.

Jackson 5, Kamiakin 0: UNLV commit Yanina Sherwood struck out 14 batters in her two-hit, complete-game masterpiece, and Simone Williams had a two-run single as the Timberwolves advanced.

CLASS 2A UPDATES (Live bracket)

Quarterfinal games

Aberdeen 10, Sedro-Wooley 0

North Kitsap 13, Lynden 1

Ridgefield 21, Cedarcrest 3 (5)

Enumclaw 8, Olympic 6

First-round games

Cedarcrest 15, Port Angeles 12:

Ridgefield 11, East Valley of Yakima 3:

Aberdeen 3, Orting 1:

Sedro-Woolley 4, Fife 3:

Enumclaw 4, Selah 0:

Lynden 5, Centralia 4:

North Kitsap 4, R.A. Long 1:

Olympic 11, Othello 3: