Coach Kim Brotemarkle does Teagan Calkin’s hair Saturday before the Central Whidbey Little League Majors softball squad opened the state tourney. (Jackie Saia photos)
Chloe Marzocca photo-bombs Hammerhead moms Jennifer Marzocca (left) and Jennifer McDavid-Heaton.
The Hammerheads enjoy their time in Poulsbo.
First-baseman Mia Farris played strongly on defense in her team’s opener.
Brionna Blouin (left) and Savina Wells wait for the action to get hoppin’.
They walked right into a buzzsaw.
The Central Whidbey Little League Majors softball squad opened the state tournament Saturday in Poulsbo, and it became apparent quickly why its opponent, tourney host North Kitsap, had qualified for the 10-team draw.
Pounding out 13 hits, while limiting the Hammerheads to just three walks and no base-knocks, North Kitsap cruised in with a 12-1 win in a game called after four innings.
While the loss drops Central Whidbey to 17-3 on the season, Coupeville’s all-stars are still alive in the double-elimination royal rumble, and will play 3 PM Sunday in a loser-out game.
The state tourney runs through July 7.
North Kitsap, which was playing as the road team, jumped on Central for six runs in the top of the first, then added four more in the second, before tacking on a final two-spot in the third.
The Hammerheads closed strongly, though, winning both halves of the fourth inning.
In the top of the frame, catcher Brionna Blouin threw out a runner headed to third, delivering the ball right into teammate Madison McMillan’s glove.
That, combined with Hammerhead first-baseman Mia Farris tracking down a pop-up in foul territory, then making an unassisted put-out on a ground ball, held North Kitsap scoreless.
In their final at-bats, the Hammerheads got a walk from lead-off hitter Savina Wells, then got creative to bring her around to score.
After Wells stole second base, one of two successful thefts on the afternoon for the just-graduated 6th grader, she scampered to third when Farris got aboard thanks to a dropped third strike.
McMillan capped Central’s only rally of the game, when she cracked a RBI ground-out to the Kitsap shortstop, plating Wells with her team’s lone run.
The Hammerheads went down one-two-three in both the second and third, with the first inning the only other time they were able to get much going against very-effective Kitsap hurlers.
Wells and Nastali eked out back-to-back walks to open the bottom of the first, but they both died on the base-paths, as Central was unable to get the key hit it needed to get things really rolling.
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