Clatskanie softball kicks off season at 2-0

The Clatskanie High School softball team opened its season with two offensive showings, taking down Rainier 16-6 on Monday, March 17, and outsourcing Umatilla 18-13 on Monday, March 24. The Tigers were led by sophomore Payton Taylor during last week’s win over Rainier, as the right fielder knocked in three runs. Junior Joey Sizemore had the lone home run for Clatskanie, knocking in two runs. Sophomore Emma Parley and senior Karielle Carlson led the Tigers in runs scored with three apiece. Carlson knocked in two runs as well, and junior Kayden Bynum had two hits, two RBI and two runs scored. Sophomore shortstop McKinsey Doyle led the team with two stolen bases and scored two runs as well. The Tigers were led from the mound by Sizemore and sophomore Olivia George, who combined for seven strikeouts over five innings and allowed only three hits and three walks.

The hits would continue Monday against Umatilla, as the Tigers took a tight, three-run lead entering the fourth inning and exploded for eight runs to blow the game wide open. The Vikings inched closer in the top of the fifth inning with six runs, but the 11-run deficit entering the game’s final frame proved insurmountable for Umatilla. George hit the team’s only home run of the game for the Tigers, leading the team with four RBI and scoring two runs of her own. Sizemore’s three-hit performance both knocked in three runs and led to the junior scoring three as well. Junior Kennedy Johnson and Carlson knocked in two runs each for the Tigers; and Carlson, Doyle, and junior Kyrielle White stole two bases each to add pressure to the Vikings. While the offense was putting up 18 runs, the defense committed nine errors, which led to eight unearned runs. George took the brunt of the Vikings’ offense, allowing five earned runs over four innings while striking out three and walking 11. Sophomore Peyton Krueger gave up five unearned runs over an inning, walking four and allowing one hit to a Vikings team that finally ran out of outs in the top of the fifth.

“We did great offensively, making our adjustments at the plate quickly and working around wet balls defensively,” said Coach Teauna Hughes. “Our leaders stepped up to the plate when times got tough and they got the team right back on track.”

The Tigers (2-0) took on Warrenton and Seaside Tuesday, March 25, but the results of the games were not available at the time of press.