Cruiser Fastpitch Team Claims District Crown
Down 3-2 in the final inning of the district title game, the Eatonville Cruiser fastpitch team rallied to score 3 runs and then held the Hoquiam Grizzlies scoreless in the bottom half of the inning to defeat them 5-3 and capture the school’s first district title and a berth into the State tournament in front of a packed crowd from Eatonville at Fort Borst Park in Centralia.
The Eatonville Cruiser fastpitch team poses for a team photo following their 5-3 victory over Hoquiam to capture the schools first district title. Photo: Sarah Rath
With one out in the top of the 7th inning, Brooke Blocker would hit a double to center to get on base. Mary Chabot would then single to send Blocker to 3rd.
An intentional walk to Hailey Rath set up a bases-loaded situation for Senior Dakota Smith. Smith would hit a single to drive in Blocker to tie the game up at 3-3.
Senior Berkeley Porter would step up with the bases still loaded and hit a deep shot to left field to score Chabot to give the Cruisers the lead at 4-3.
Pitcher Sara Smith would then hit a sacrifice fly to right field. Rath would tag up on the play and score to make it 5-3.
Eatonville would hold the Grizzlies scoreless in the bottom of the inning to pick up the victory.
“We are very humbled by everyone’s support. The stands were packed and it was amazing seeing so many out to support these ladies!” commented Head Coach Jen Smith.
The normally explosive Cruiser offense was slowed down by the Grizzlies.
Smith continued, “The mindset going into this game was that we were well prepared, we knew them and we would do well. All year we have had success in our batting and in this game, we came in a bit off from previous games against Hoquiam”
Smith said the defense was a real key in the victory. “Our defense played a huge role this game which ended up fueling us in the seventh. As a coach, my favorite part of this game was the selflessness each player possessed and how quick they were to pick a teammate up and have each other’s back. It’s our biggest motivator being the best teammate they can be and it paid off”.
In their opening-round game the previous day, the Cruisers would face the La Center Wildcats and would come away with a 6-0 win.
That game would see Hailey Rath hit not one, but two 2-run home runs in the game. Charlie Smith and Sara Smith would also hit home runs as well.
In the second game on Friday, Eatonville would play the Columbia-White Salmon Bruins in the Semi-finals.
The Cruisers would post 5 runs in the first inning highlighted by another Hailey Rath 2-run bomb. They would push another 8 runs across in the second inning thanks to a couple more home runs. This time a 3-run shot by Berkeley Porter and then a 2-run home run by Brooke Blocker made the score 13-0.
Rath would drive the dagger in when she stepped to the plate with one aboard in the third inning and hit another 2-run home run, to end the game at 15-0 in a mercy-rule shortened 3 inning game.
The WIAA seeding committee met on Sunday to seed the 12-team state tournament. They awarded the Cruisers the #1 seed. They will receive a bye straight into the quarterfinals where they will face the winner of the Royal/Castle Rock game.
The 2022 Gesa Credit Union 1A State Championships will be played at Columbia Playfield in Richland, WA on May 27th and 28th with the Cruiser's first game being played on Friday, May 27th at 2:30 pm on Field 1. They would love to have the members of the Eatonville community to be there to cheer them on.
