The North Thurston Rams set themselves up in perfect position for a trip to the district tournament with a 9-4 victory over River Ridge Wednesday.
With the win, the Rams now sit in third place in the Puget Sound League Nisqually Division and control their own destiny, as fourth-place River Ridge does not have any more league games on its schedule. North Thurston’s final three games are against three of the bottom four teams in the PSL standings.
The Rams put three runs on the board with two outs in the first inning via an RBI double by Syriahs Trolson just past the diving centerfielder and a two-run triple by Alyvia Belton. Paige Guyer added an RBI double in the second to put North Thurston up 4-0.
By the time River Ridge’s Abigail Dearborn provided the team’s first hit in the bottom of the third, the Hawks trailed 6-0 as Saidie Stoddard and Lylah Hoy contributed RBIs in the top half of the frame. But Dearborn’s knock was the only one of the third, with pitcher Trolson efficiently sailing through the Hawks lineup.
Trolson singled in the fourth, and an error allowed her sister Saihdee Trolson to score. River Ridge, down 7-0, chipped away in the fourth inning with RBIs from Eva Lynch and Kaylani Karageorge.
But a pair of RBI doubles by Isabella Haagen and Guyer helped North Thurston regain its seven-run lead. The Hawks could only muster up one run in the sixth and one in the seventh. Syriahs Trolson pitched a complete game, allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven. She also went 3 of 4 at the plate with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Guyer and Haagen also recorded two hits apiece.
“Syri was putting in work today. She was pretty locked in. She did a great job pitching to her defense,” North Thurston head coach Sam Harding said of his sophomore pitcher. “Everyone contributed at the plate, too. We have a couple of girls missing in the lineup from injuries, and the players who stepped in produced. It was a great environment and some good competition before we head into districts.”
Jaylah Sok-Vandergriff also pitched a complete game for River Ridge, compiling six strikeouts but allowing nine runs (six earned) on 12 hits and one walk. Karageorge drove in two runs, and Emma Liljenberg recorded two hits and a run.
North Thurston (10-12, 7-6 PSL) will visit Lakes (0-15, 0-15 PSL) Thursday before returning home Monday, May 11 for senior night against Mount Tahoma (4-10, 4-10 PSL). River Ridge (8-10, 8-8 PSL) will finish the regular season at home against Kelso in a non-league contest Friday.
