Walla Walla Community College had to wait a couple of days, but the Warriors’ softball team followed a long rain delay with back-to-back wins over Spokane, 12-11 and 11-1, to wrap up their regular-season schedule in a Northwest Athletic Conference East Region doubleheader here Monday.
Spokane had jumped ahead with four runs in the top of the first inning Friday, when rain postponed action on Saturday.
Action resumed Monday — with Spokane up, 4-0, in the bottom of the first inning — and the Sasquatch picked up where they left off. By the sixth inning, Spokane had increased its lead to 11-4.
However, the Warriors then rallied for eight runs to pull off a memorable win.
“Honestly, it was a testament to our group’s resiliency and ability to never just go away,” WWCC coach Justin Speer said. “In my mind, it was one of the biggest games we’ve played this year, with the girls coming back like that.
“We’ve done that before, but this was somehow even more impressive.”
The Warriors (28-18 overall, 24-8 in the league) finished their regular season with eight straight wins in second place, two game back of North Idaho.
Walla Walla next plays Friday in the NWAC championship tournament at Portland. The Warriors’ opponent remains to be determined.
“We made some goals for this season, and I like where we’re at right now,” Speer said.
Walla Walla took the first game against Spokane by edging the Sasquatch in a slugfest.
The Warriors’ Mikayla Faulkner paced the batting order with a double, two singles and two runs batted in.
Carli Taylor hit a three-run home run and a single. Taylor Erbst doubled and singled with three RBI. Mackenzie Watts added two hits and two RBI.
Spokane already held a 6-0 lead in the second inning when Taylor belted her home run, but the Sasquatch continued scoring.
Spokane had increased its lead to 11-4 in the sixth inning, when Walla Walla rallied for eight runs to pull off the win.
The Warriors pitcher Mallory Chavez shut down Spokane in the second game.
The Sasquatch mustered only one run on four singles, as Chavez chalked up three strikeouts with only two walks before action stopped due to the mercy rule.
Meanwhile, Wa-Hi grad Jacie McDaniels singled twice and doubled with three RBI to lead the lineup. Ashley Hicks added two more RBI.
Walla Walla had jumped ahead with a run in the first inning, and then added four in the second, three in the third and three more in the fourth.
