By Gerardo Bolong

Clear skies appeared in the SeaTac sky on Fri., April 25, as the Seattle Christian Warrior fastpitch softball team closed out Eatonville, 13-3, in a five-inning Nisqually 1A League game.

Eatonville took the lead in the first inning without hitting any balls out of the infield. Three consecutive infield singles to open the game loaded the bases. One strikeout later, a line drive glanced off the pitcher's mitt for an RBI single. The Cruisers later scored another run but SCS center fielder Makenzie May alertly threw to second base to force out a runner coming from second base to end the rally.

Seattle Christian quickly fought back in the home half of the inning, with Kelli Ronish getting hit by a pitch with one out. Lisa Kumasaka hit a right center field gap hit to triple home a run. Carlee Ronish eventually struck an infield ground out to tie the game.

As Warrior pitcher Kumasaka revved up her fastball enough to surprise batters with change-ups at selected spots, Seattle Christian began to draw away.

In the second inning, Lindsy Ronish drew a two out walk followed by Kelli Ronish's base hit through the middle. Walks to Alyssa Baucom and Abby Hay produced two runs and a 4-2 lead.

A Kelly Ronish infield single with an infield throwing error on the play led to Ronish reaching third on a wild pitch. Kumasaka walked and later reached second base without drawing a throw. Baucom's ground out sent one run home while Carlee Ronish forced another run home by way of a walk and the Warriors led 6-0. Eatonville reached the plate with a tally in the fifth before SCS closed out the show in the bottom of the fifth inning with a walkathon of bases on balls and a 13-3 five-inning win under the 10-run mercy rule.

"In the first inning they just hit spots where we weren't and the ball was spinning," said Kumasaka who batted 1 for 3 with two RBI while closing with a seven-hitter with six strikeouts for the win. "The defense was solid."

Head coach Rick Ronish spoke about the Warrior win.

"You have to be happy to beat Eatonville by 10 runs," he said. "We still have lots of little things to work on. Part of that is because we haven't played many games (due to rain outs). We're just a little fragmented and trying to get better rhythm."

Plentiful walks aided the SCS effort that produced only three hits but many good watches of pitches.

Baucom earned three RBI while Hay was credited with two. Kelli Ronish batted 2 for 2 and sent home a run.

H. McKasson batted 2 for 3 with 2 Eatonville RBI. Teammate Kaitlyn Voss batted 2 for 3.