Forks falls in title game
By Michael Carman
Olympic Peninsula News Group
YAKIMA — Forks had a shot at a state softball championship but couldn’t take down the big bad on the block Class 2B powerhouse Adna in a 12-3 loss Saturday at the Gateway Sports Complex.
The Spartans (17-8), who finished third at state last season, tied the school record for the highest-ever finish in a team sport with the 2014 Forks wrestling squad.
Forks’ offense was limited to a Keira Johnson RBI single and a two-run home run by Chloe Gaydeski by Adna sophomore pitcher Ava Simms.
The Pirates collected 16 hits as a team in the game. Lower Columbia-bound senior Brooklyn Loose went 4-for-5 with a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored. Danika Hallom had a 3-for-5 game, while Karlee VonMoos and Kendall Humphrey both added a pair of hits.
Forks will graduate all-leaguers Kadie Wood and Kyra Neel along with Catalina Armas and Ashlynn Carstensen, but the team should return enough talent to make a repeat visit to state in Yakima.
The Spartans matched the highest finish ever by a Forks team — the 2014 wrestling squad, which placed second at the Mat Classic.
Forks 12, Okanogan 1
YAKIMA — Forks dispatched No. 3 seed Okanogan 12-1 in five innings in the semifinal Saturday at Gateway Sports Complex, putting the Spartans into the state championship game..
Forks did enough in the first inning to take down Okanogan. Keira Johnson doubled home younger sister Bailey, Liz Soto followed with another RBI double and Chloe Gaydeski came through with an RBI single for an early 3-0 lead.
The seventh-seeded Spartans (17-7) added another in the second on a Kadie Wood RBI single and exploded for eight runs in the third.
Soto added a two-run double to get things going in the big inning. After some baserunning and Okanogan errors brought in a pair of runs, Kyra Neel rounded out the scoring with a two-run double to center.
Gaydeski wasn’t bothered in the circle throwing strikes on 38 of her 48 pitches and allowing one run on five hits.
With her back to third base Elizabeth Soto made this great catch of a fly ball hit by Okanogan who Forks defeated 12 to 1 Saturday. Spartan Chloe Gaydeski-St. John looks on. Photo by Lonnie Archibald
Forks first baseman Kaidence Rigby takes the throw from shortstop Kadie Wood for the out against Adna Saturday. Forks placed second in State after losing to the Pirates in the championship game. Photo by Lonie Archibald
