2A1A Championship Goes East

The Nestucca Bobcats (13-11), the District 1 second seed, meet the heavily favored Union Lady Cats (23-1), champions of District 6.

The Bobcats lost their last four games before the state playoffs started, but have rebounded with wins over Wallowa, a District 6 rival of the Lady Cats, Chiloquin, and Glendale. The Bobcats have the challenge of taking on the top run producing diamond team in the state, regardless of class, baseball or softball, as the Lady Cats average 12.375 runs per game.

The Lady Cats, a combination of the 2A Union Bobcats and the 1A Cove Leopards, have only a 1 run 8-7 loss to the Enterprise-Joseph coop in the first game of an April 25 doubleheader to mar an otherwise perfect so far season, conducted except for a quarterfinal trip to Salem Academy entirely on the east side. The Lady Cats have won three playoff games by a combined score of 35-3, and have seven shutouts this season, and six more games where they allowed only one run.

The red-clad Lady Cats are the visitors, literally, but the home team figuratively. Bur first, each Union player delivers a boquet to their Nestucca counterpart, continuing a tradition practiced by most of the east side teams that reach championship games. The black with orange trim Bobcats (playing for some OSU support?) get only a bunt down, but its an easy out, bookended by a pair of strikeouts by Union pitcher Jessica Reynolds. 3 up, 3 down.

Reynolds opens Union's at bat with a triple to the fence in left center, and scores on Shanna Riomondo's sacrifice fly to left center. Caitlin Meason hits Jennifer Moore with a pitch, and Shelbi Williams promptly dives a two run homer way down the left field line. The fifth homer of the post season for Union. With 2 out, Alistacia Anderson walks, steals, goes to third when the throw sails into center field, and scores when Jessica Poe's bunt leads to a pulled foot on the bag at first by Meghan Ramiskey. A strikeout ends the inning, but Union has jumped to a 4-0 lead after 1 inning, on 2 hits and 2 errors.

Reynolds strikes out the side in the top of the second inning, 5 Ks already! And as the second bater up, Reynolds drives a pitch to right center, resulting in a collision betwen centerfielder Caitlin Finnell and right fielder Kim Measor, producing an inside the park home run. After a few minutes, both are up and continue, Moore adds a single to left, steals second, but is stranded there. 5-0 Union already.

Union’s Jessica Reynolds drives a pitch for an inside the park home run.

Nestucca’s Megan Ramiskey makes an reaching catch to slow the Union onslaught.

The large Nestucca crowd loudly tries to rally their Bobcats, but the generous strike zone on the outside in effect for this game leads to 3 more Ks.

Measor finally is able to set Union down in order, on 2 flys wrapped around a ground out.

Nestucca’s Caitlyn Meason delivers a pitch against Union.

In the fourth inning, after the eighth straight Bobcat strikeout, Megan Boisa is hit on the ankle by a pitch, and advances to second on Finnell's sacrifice. But Reynolds' 10th. strikeout of the game ends the threat.

Eighth hitter Brittany Joshphson draws a walk, steals second, advances on Jordann Roberts' sacrice, and scores on Reynolds' double to the base of the fence in left center. She has a triple, a home run, and a double, and 2 RBIs so far.

Union’s Brittany Josephson works the base paths to score for the Lady Cats.

Two mishandled pitches brings Reynolds home for a 7-0 lead.

Union goes up 7-0.

Union leaves 2 more on base, but can't add to the margin.

Nestucca gets another ball in play, but its a bouncer back to Reynolds, with 2 Ks wrapped around it.

Anderson opens the bottom of the fifth with a single to left, a steal, and third on another throw into center field. Jessica Poe's bunt to Meason leads to a wild throw, and Anderson scores. Poe is advanced on a sacrifice, and scores on Roberts' RBI sadrifice fly to right. Reynolds misses hitting for the cycle when the throw from short gets her out at first, but its 9-0 Union after 5 innings.

Two more strikeouts wrapped around a bunt for an easy out, and Nestucca goes quietly in the sixth inning.

Melissa Carver gets a bunt down for Nestucca.

Riomondo singles off the third base bag, Moore singles too. But Riomondo is tagged off second on a fielders' choice. A double to the left center field fence ends it.

The Union Lady Cats Win 10-0 in 6 innings, grabbing revenge for a 1-0 loss to Nestucca in last year's playoffs.

Reynolds, the Player of the Game, and a three sport athlete (volleyball might be her best sport, and she plays basketball too) finished with 14 strikeouts, and was a hit batter away from a perfect game, yet the sophomore ace's first comment was "Its amazing that (senior) Shelbi (Wiliams) was able to hit a home run in her last game. This was for the seniors; they so deserved this."

Union pitcher Jessica Reynolds struck out 14 batters in a no-hitter.

For her part, Willams acknowledged "I wasn't hitting the ball well. I decided to clear my mind, and hit like I can." Which is what the entire Union roster did, delivering 10 hits to get the 10 runs. Union Coach Steve Robertson explained "We expect to hit every game like that. Especially close to the playoffs, we really gear up the hitting in practice. None of us are going to get cheated at the plate."

Reynolds, who admitted to being "The most superstious player in the world.", attributed her dominant performance to her traditional pre-game meal of "Cheetos, a 'Fast Break', and 2 Strawberry Kiwi Propels. And 6 sticks of zebra gum. I have that every game." Reynolds did remark "Dang! I didn't even think about it!" when asked about just missing hitting for the cycle."

Nestucca Coach Jolene McKechnie also credited the Union hitting, noting "We knew Reynolds' pitching was good, but their hitting was amazing!"

Coach Robertson summed up the dream playoff run by crediting "The greatest group of girls in the history of the world.", something Nestucca wouldn't argue at the moment.

CC

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

(Connectivity courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn.)