Tri-district berth on the line today

The Friday Harbor softball team kept its quest for a state tournament berth alive by dismantling Meridian 6-2 Saturday in the sub-district playoffs at Janicki Fields in Sedro-Woolley.

Facing elimination from post-season play, the Wolverines came out swinging, tallied five first-inning runs and with stingy defense prevented the Trojans from climbing back into the game. With the win, they also avenged a six-run loss earlier in the season and ousted the Trojans from the playoffs.

On the mound, sophomore Kerri Goff shut down the Meridian offense over seven innings to earn win No. 14. Fielding errors by Friday Harbor allowed Meridian to post a pair of “unearned” runs late in the game.

“We played really, really well and we lived to play another day,” Head Coach Kevin Carlton said. “Kerri gave us a great game but the game-ball went to our freshman shortstop, Hannah Starr. She had six put outs in the game.”

With the win, Friday Harbor (16-7) advances into the tri-district playoffs and is expected to face Chimacum in the opening round today at Sprinkler Fields in Tacoma; game time is 3 p.m.

Against Meridian, it was do or die after the Wolverines were shutout in the opener 5-0 by Nooksack Valley and Pioneer pitching sensation Erika Ramstead. A junior, Ramstead tossed a no-hitter and struck out 19 Wolverines. Friday Harbor senior Beth Ware and company countered by limiting the heralded Pioneers to only five runs.

“We played with them all the way,” Carlton said. “Beth had a great outing against Nooksack but (Ramstead) was just on fire.”

Friday Harbor wasted little time in rattling the Trojans. Leadoff hitter Sunny Pascoe cracked a single to open the game, Kelsie Carlton bunted and reached first and senior Kiersten Radden drove them both in with the next at-bat. Freshman Elle Guard stroked a double to drive in a pair of runs and Friday Harbor led 5-0 after freshman Maggie Anderson brought Guard across the plate with an RBI single.

Contact Journal of the San Juans Editor Scott Rasmussen at srasmussen@sanjuanjournal.com or 1-360-378-5696.

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