Inchelium, which had to settle for second a year ago, climbed to the championship in the State B high school softball tournament Monday at Kennewick, hammering Bridgeport-Pateros 8-1 in the title game.
That capped a terrific 26-1 season for the Hornets, whose only loss was to State A champion Kettle Falls. The lone defeat came near the end of the regular season, but Inchelium also beat KF early in the year.
Inchelium, which lost the title game last year to Quilcene 5-2, got a measure of revenge over that team in beating it by the same score in the semifinals. Inchelium topped Asotin 11-6 in the first round.
The Hornets are coached by Duane Gatlin, who also is the school's senior advisor. Inchelium got back from the tournament play at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday and Gatlin and his seniors a short time later were on their way to Fairmont Hot Springs for their senior outing.
The Hornets drilled 17 hits in the title game, with nearly every Inchelium player getting in on the action. Defensively, infielder Candy Jo Holford was in on two double plays in the finale.
The Hornets could make a strong run for honors again next year. Only four of the team members are seniors. Four are juniors, one sophomore, five freshmen and an eighth grader. Three of the frosh started this year.
The eight-team tournament had to be moved from Walla Walla to Kennewick Monday because of rain. Two games were played in Walla Walla before tournament officials decided to move the action 50 miles to Kennewick. The tournament had been scheduled for Saturday, but it was postponed because of rain.
Inchelium scored the first of two runs in the first inning against Bridgeport-Pateros and opened a 6-0 lead before the opponent broke through with its lone run in the sixth. Bridgeport-Pateros was limited to six hits by Jalene Finley.
Spokesman-Review
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