During a semifinals run spanning 2008 to 2012, The Dalles softball team managed to hit a hot streak heading into the postseason.
For the past two seasons, TD has won a combined 10 games overall and has totaled one playoff victory – a play-in win over Corvallis on May 18, 2013.
After a week of practice and hitting sessions, Riverhawk head coach Steve Garrett is looking to get this varsity program back to its deep playoff roots.
“For some reason, we have that ability to kick it into gear for the playoffs,” Garrett said. “I think it’s the girls finally seeing everything come together. They tend to step up to the challenge on a bigger stage. They know this is the second season. All that we have done up to this point has been a warm up. This is the time to get it going. Hopefully, they can do that.”
The No. 11-ranked Riverhawks hit the diamond at 5 p.m. Friday for an OSAA/U.S. Bank/Les Schwab Tires state softball play-in game against Audrey Seipert, Molly Nutt and the No. 13-ranked Sandy Pioneers.
The Pioneers, coached by Kellie Wilkerson, enter play losers of six of their last 10 games, including four of their last five. In that 10-game span, Sandy has been held to one run or less four times with two shutouts.
Leading the 5A’s 23rd-ranked scoring offense (5.4 runs a game) are Presley Turin, Maddie Welch, Noelle Centeno and Seipert, a junior.
With the hitting prowess of Sierra Watson (.609 average with three home runs in league), Hannah Harris (.500 average) and Maddy Bradford (.417 average, four home runs), TD has the state’s 12th-ranked offense with 178 runs scored in 26 games (6.85 runs a game).
When the Hawks score seven runs or more in a game, they have a 12-2 record.
From the circle, TD’s pitching staff Bradford and Watson have surrendered 159 runs for 18th in the state, while the Sandy pitchers, Seipert and Centeno, have helped their team to a 9-2 record when holding opponents to two runs or less.
“They don’t overpower anybody. They rely on their control and changing speeds,” Garrett said of the Hawks’ offensive game plan. “We will work on staying back and waiting for a pitch to our liking. We need to make her come to us, not let her dictate an at-bat. We cannot make her job easy.”
The Dalles previously played against Sandy on April 2 and lost 8-7 in a re-scheduled game at 16th Street Ballpark in The Dalles, where six errors and seven two-out runs, helped give the Pioneers the edge.
Overall, the Riverhawks rapped out seven hits, received four walks and had one batter reach on a hit by a pitch against Sandy pitching.
The Dalles scored seven runs, but also stranded eight base runners, six in scoring position.
Garrett talked about going over a team philosophy of having a three-pronged attack of pitching, defense and hitting.
Having all of those elements working will be a major key to extending the softball season into June.
“If we play anywhere close to our defensive capabilities, I think we can beat any team,” Garrett said. “We need Maddy to be spot-on with her control and hit her spots Duane (assistant coach Witter) calls. We cannot have infielders booting the ball. If we can stop that. If we can get that third out and not boot the ball around, we are going to beat them.”
Friday’s winner advances to the Sweet 16 and a road playoff game versus Silverton.
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