AUBURN - Consistent pitching and good defense paved the way for a Mount Rainier South Puget Sound League North 6-2 girls fastpitch win against Auburn Riverside at Game Farm Park on Tuesday, April 10.
With the outstanding win, the Rams moved their record to 3-6 in league and raised momentum going into the Spring Break.
"We know we have talent with a couple of the best players in the league," said first-year Mount Rainier head coach Ben Reindel. "We also start five underclassmen. There were only three freshman at the catcher's spot, but Tristen Yong has stepped up to catch and played her second game at catcher today. She's a great catcher with a great arm. Our role players were good today. We're counting on Sonny Dorhofer, Maylynn Mitchell, Jasmin Fulmore and Yong."
Mitchell is an outstanding and proven All-League shortstop who also is an outstanding hitter.
On Tuesday, the Rams unleashed early offense.
In the top of the first inning, Dorhofer led off with a single and eventually stole second base. Cian Detore followed with a walk ahead of Mitchell's ringing two-run triple. Yong was hit by a pitch before a passed ball scored Mitchell and advanced Yong to second base. Later in the inning, Fulmore sacrifice bunted the fourth run home.
Consecutive singles by Mitchell and Yong in the third inning set the stage for Orion Schade's one-out RBI single and Taylor Richardson's two-out run-scoring one-baser as Mount Rainier ascended to a 6-0 lead.
In the meantime, fire balling right hander Fulmore carried a three-hit shut out through five innings with her defense playing steadily.
Auburn Riverside threatened in the bottom of the third inning by virtue of two consecutive singles with two out. Mitchell dove to her left from the shortstop position to glove the second single on one bounce to keep the first runner on second base. Fulmore then induced the next batter into a fly ball out to right field, ending the threat.
The Ravens finally broke through for two runs on four hits in the sixth inning, but the resilient Fulmore weathered the short storm to earn a seven-innng, complete game seven-hit victory.
Fulmore mixed up her pitches well and threw to specific locations throughout the fray.
"I wanted to make sure I got strikes and threw good pitches," she said. "My fielders really helped me out. My strategy was to go outside and come back in with curves, rises and screw balls."
Mitchell led Mount Rainier at bat with a 3-for-4 day including a triple and two RBI. Schade batted 2-for-4 with an RBI.
For the Ravens, Alyssa Jarmon was 2-for-3 with a double and RBI. Danielle Robinson and Sam Lawson each batted 2-for-3.
