Trojans Get a Win on Opening Day

Bellevue, WA - The EvCC Softball team opened up the 2022 season in Bellevue for a weekend of four scheduled games against NWAC powerhouse programs, Clackamas CC and Lower Columbia College.  The weather forecast called for rain all weekend, but Everett was able to get in a full 7 inning game to open up the season against Clackamas CC.  

In the cirecle to start the year was Trojans ace pitcher Kaylie Hoskins out of Lake Stevens, WA who was a dominate force all last spring, striking out an NWAC best 173 batters and her 2.06 ERA also ranked as a conference best.   In her first live game action since last June, Hoskins appeared to be back to form in the first inning, striking out the first two batters that she saw, but back to back walks followed by a fielding error, allowed 2 runs to get on the board for Clackamas before Hoskins struck out the 7 hole batter for the final out of the inning.  

The Trojan offense was blanked in the first two innings, but showed up big in the top of the third to put up four big runs.  It started at the bottom of the order when catcher Maddie German was hit by a pitch to get on base.  Later an error on a sacrifice bunt and a single by Jaz Miller got things going for EvCC.  Three stolen bases, a fielders choice, and a another single (Izzy Hansen) moved the first three runners around to score.  A run was also walked in, before the inning finally came to a close.

Clackamas responded by putting up a run in the 4th and four in the 5th to take back the lead, 7-4 heading into the sixth inning.  Mele Turner led off the inning with a double, and later came around to score on a double by Maddie German.  But the Trojans stranded a couple runners and the defecit remained at 2.  The Cougar offense put up another run in the bottom of the 6th to stretch the lead back out to three heading into the final inning with the score 8-5.  This is when the magic finally came together for the Trojan bats.  Five hits and a walk generated five runs to come all the way back to take a 10-8 lead.  Despite the earlier game struggles from Hoskins, Coach Smith stuck with the Ace in the bottom of the 7th with a two run lead.  The Cougars opened up the inning with a double, and eventually came around to score but after a ground out and a sac bunt, they were down to their final out trailing by a run.  With a runner on second (single & stolen base),  Kaylie beared down and struck out the final batter on five pitches to complete the comeback win. 

For the game, Hoskins did not have her best stuff, giving up 6 earned runs, on 9 hits and walking 8 batters.  But she did mow down 10 batters with strikeouts and got the job done in the final inning, pitching a complete game.  Offensively Mele Turner had a big game going 2-3 with a walk and two doubles to drive in 3 runs, and also scored 2 runs.  Charis Jones also drove in a couple of runs and scored two herself.  Redshirt Sophomore Jaz McMiller had a nice day going 3-4 at the plate with 3 singles and drove in a run. 

The rain continued which ultimately halted the second game of the day in the 4th inning against Lower Columbia.  The weather continued with rain and windy conditions throughout the weekend, which prevented the continuation of the halted game and ultimately led to the cancellation of the other two games scheduled for Sunday. 

The Trojans will hopefully catch a better break from the weather this coming weekend, when they travel east of the mountains to face Yakima Valley and North Idaho in a pair of doubleheaders.