State-bound, baby!!

Feeds:: Posts; Comments

State-bound, baby!!

July 4, 2015 by David Svien

Plays like this helped carry Central Whidbey to a district title. (John Fisken photo)

The comeback kids. The champs. (Photo courtesy Mimi Johnson)

Set off the fireworks, cause Central Whidbey is da champs.

Cruising to its second win in as many days against arch-rival North Whidbey, the Pineapple Ninjas, a 9/10 All-Star little league softball squad that features Coupeville and South Whidbey girls, clinched the District 11 championship Saturday.

The 15-9 win, coming on a hot 4th of July, sends Central Whidbey to the state tourney.

It also capped a remarkable comeback for a squad that suffered through a heart-rending opening to the district playoffs.

Central Whidbey let a four-run lead over North Whidbey slip away in the final inning of their playoff opener, falling 11-10.

Instead of falling apart, the girls in red and black rallied to win three consecutive loser-out games, knocking off Sedro-Woolley before sweeping back-to-back games from their closest rival.

Playing with everything at stake Saturday, Central ran away with the game. Literally.

Running wild on the base-paths, leaving behind a never-ending string of stolen bases in the scorebook, the Pineapple Ninjas broke open the game with an 11-run fourth inning.

Having seen an early 4-2 lead slip away, Central trailed 7-4 entering the fourth, before it flipped the switch and bolted to a win.

Kaela Meffert smacked three singles to pace her squad, while Jill Prince scorched a single and Central hurler Chanel Sterba whiffed seven North Whidbey hitters.

The Pineapple Ninjas open the state tourney in Vancouver next Saturday, July 11 with a game against a Marysville team coached by former Coupeville softball star Natalie (Slater) Maneval.

It’s a reunion, since Maneval and Central Whidbey coach Mimi Johnson were roommates back in the day when they played softball at Skagit Valley College.

A second reunion could occur later in the tournament, as former Wolf Matt Cross has a daughter on a rival team, while his sister, Jennie (Cross) Prince, will be cheering on her daughter, Jill.