Bellevue Split Keeps Trojans in Hunt for Region Title

Bellevue, WA - The Trojans entered the weekend's contests riding a four game win streak (8 total including forfeited contests by Olympic College and Shoreline CC) and just a half a game behind #3 ranked Bellevue College for 1st place in the north region standings.  

Game one, as anticipated turned out to be a pitcher's dual between two of the league's best in Kaci Imus for Bellevue and Kaylie Hoskins for Everett.  Imus has an NWAC leading ERA average of 1.41, while Hoskins leads the NWAC in strikeouts with a staggering 198 total strikeouts and a K/7 average of 14.49.  EvCC' started the top of the 1st with a pair of singles, but were not able to move them around, missing out on their best opportunity to score all game.  After that first inning, four straight innings passed for Everett in which the side was retired in order.  

Meanwhile, on the defensive end, Hoskins was holding it down.  After a lead off single in the first, and seeing the runner advance all the way to third, Kaylie locked in and struck out the next five batters she faced.  After seven complete innings the score was locked at 0, with both teams only able to muster 4 hits apiece.  

Heading into the 8th, it was a quick one, two, three innings for the Trojan bats, which gave some momentum to the home team.  After a lead off single, a bunt fielded by Hoskins was thrown low to first and got by Bridgewater.  The runner at first  cruised past 2nd and 3rd, heading for home, but a bullet throw right fielder Ivane Aholelei gunned down the runner at home, preserving the tie momentarily.  The errant throw however, allowed the sac bunt to effectively turn into a triple, putting a speedy runner at third with only one out.  The very next batter laid down a squeeze play bunt that narrowly scored the runner from third in dramatic fashion, upsetting the Trojans by a final score of 1-0.

It was a offensive struggle for Everett who only managed four hits all game (all of them singles), but Hoskins pitched a great game, finishing with 8 innings pitched, 6 hits allowed, one walk, one run scored, and 13 strikeouts.   

Game two featured much more offense for both teams, as the Trojans and the Bulldogs both put up a pair of runs in their respective halves of the first inning.  EvCC got on the board with Ivane Aholelei's single, and stolen base, that put her in position to score. The next batter Jordyn Lono ripped a single up the middle that bounced off the pitcher's foot and into the outfield.  Two more singles in the inning by Kayla Tuaoa and Meleana Turner brought Lono around to score to complete the damage.

The Trojans broke the 2-2 tie in the top half of the second inning.  Charis Jones got aboard with a single, advanced to second on a passed ball, and then made it to third on a Leiloa Bustamante sac fly.  With two outs Ivane Aholelei came through with a single to score Jones.  

Starting freshman pitcher Riley Swanson settled in after giving up the 2-run home run in the first inning to pitch three shutout innings, giving up just two hits and a walk.  Meanwhile Everett pushed across another run in the top of the 4th on a Bustamante double that scored Jones from first after her one-out single.  

The Bulldogs came biting back in the bottom of the 5th, on a two run home run that tied the game at 4-4.  Swanson regained her composure and was able to close out the inning without any further damage.  In the top of the sixth, with two outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd, EvCC capitalized on a wild pitch that brought in the go ahead run.  It looked like the Trojans would score another when Jordyn Lono connected on a hard hit line drive, but the center fielder was positioned perfectly and the runner was left stranded. 

Kaylie Hoskins came in to relieve Swanson in the bottom of the 6th and retired the side, striking out two.  Everett tacked on two more insurance runs in the top of the 7th when Isabelle Hansen connected on a two-run home run, her fourth of the season, and Hoskins slammed the door closed in the bottom of the 7th.  In a fitting way, Hoskins struck out Imus for the final out.  

Everett combined for 14 hits led by Kayla Tuaoa's 3 hits and Charis Jones' three hits and three runs scored.  The Trojans have another meeting with Bellevue, this time at home where they will resume a halted game from two weeks ago that was called due to rain in the 4th inning.  That is scheduled for Wednesday, at 4pm on Gaffney Field.