The end result didn’t turn out for the Kentridge Chargers how they wanted, but in the first day of the tournament, the Chargers showed resilience and resolve to make it to the second day of play.
Kentridge started the West Central District Tournament as the No. 6 seed and took on Yelm.
The Chargers’ bats couldn’t manage much offense against the Tornadoes as they lost game one 4-1, sending them to the consolation bracket.
With their season on the line, the Chargers took on Battle Ground, the fourteenth seed.
“The one thing I told the girls at the end was ‘Way to not give up.’ They played to the final out and that paid off for us. I was very proud of them for that,” Head Coach Rachel Shillinger said.
Jo Thompson took to the circle as she has all season long for the Chargers. This season, Thompson has thrown a lot of pitches for Kentridge. Even after the win, she started against Puyallup, which ended being the Chargers’ final game.
Thompson has pitched in 20 games this season for the Chargers, totaling 114.2 innings on the season. Genesis Miller was the only other pitcher that Shillinger used this season, and Miller pitched in seven games all season.
Thompson threw a grand total of 1,781 pitches this season. Miller, on the other hand, threw just 318 in her seven games.
“She threw hard for two games (on Friday). She’s battled all day long. For her to get that final hit, we needed that. She needed that,” Shillinger said.
Against Battle Ground, Thompson took to the circle with the weight of her team on her shoulders. Through four innings, the Tigers were held off the scoreboard, and in the fifth, a fluke play scored the go-ahead run for Battle Ground.
A ground ball to first base bounced out of the glove of Kenzie Coble toward Naomi Benavides, who picked it up and dove toward the first base bag. Kristine Brigance was called safe, which scored Candice Torgerson from third base.
Apart from one run in the seventh against Yelm, the Kentridge offense was held in check for 12 innings on Friday afternoon. But with two outs, down by one, the offense came through.
Miller smacked a triple to right field and Shillinger windmilled her arm as Miller was rounding third, which forced an errant throw to tie the game. It seemed like a bold send from third at the time, but it was a run that had to score.
“I saw the girl throw it and I was like ‘Oooh,’ and then saw it went up. I was so happy about it,” Thompson said.
“Genesis has come through a lot for us all year. I knew if I gave her the sign, she was going to run all out,” Shillinger said.
Benavides was then hit by a pitch, bringing up Thompson. The sophomore had swung the bat well up until this moment. In the first game, she was 2-3 (2B, RBI, BB), and she had a double back in the fourth against Battle Ground.
“I am so proud of myself because I have been working my butt off for years to get my hitting where I want it to be. It really showed today,” Thompson said.
With Benavides on first, Thompson hit a line drive to right field that went over the head of the right fielder, and Benavides came around to score the winning run.
As all hope seemed lost, Miller and Thompson came through to save their season and extend it just one more day.
“I went up, calmed myself and swung away,” Thompson said. “It meant so much, our whole goal is to get to the second day, I am super proud of my team.”
On Saturday, the Chargers’ season came to a close as they fell in their first game of the day, 5-2, at the hands of the Puyallup Vikings.
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Kenzie Coble reaches third base against Battle Ground. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Genesis Miller shouts after scoring to tie the game against Battle Ground. Ben Ray / The Reporter
