POULSBO — Friday’s fastpitch contest between North Kitsap and Shelton may well have been summed up best by Highclimbers’ coach Val Ogg.
“It’s one of those days,” Ogg said, “that you never know what’s going to happen.”
Such is the case when the Shelton Highclimbers (2-8 in league to put them in dead last in the Narrows) comes up against North Kitsap (a perfect 10-0) and takes down the league-leading Vikes on their home turf.
“We had that ‘Shelton’ mystique going in against this team,” said Vikes’ coach Dan Kolda. “Thinking you’re 10-0 in league and you’re playing a team that’s 2-8.”
The happiness for the Highclimbers should well exceed the sadness of the loss for NK, Kolda added. Shelton’s season will be over in a week’s time whereas North Kitsap needs only one more win to qualify for the district tournament.
“We made Shelton’s season and that’s fine,” Kolda said. “It’s just one of those reality checks.”
In the first five innings, only one runner passed second base — North’s Jamie Heins off a single in the second. The teams would combine for 11 runs in the next three innings.
North Kitsap put two runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth, with Heins hitting a triple that scored Ali Lydick, who was running for Heather Case. Case had previously singled. The Vikings Katy Johnson doubled to score Heins. Emma House immediately singled again but Shelton was able to prevent a third — and potentially the winning run — by throwing out Johnson at home.
Shelton had gone through only five batters in one offensive half inning and proceeded to go down the entire line up in the top of the seventh. With the bases loaded and only one out, the Highclimbers’ Caty Phipps grounded out but scored Kacy Crump, who had led off with a single. Shelton’s lead off hitter Stephanie Robinson hit a bloop single that Vikes’ second baseman Lindsey Erickson couldn’t quite reach, scoring Angie Briggs. Two more bases on balls and one additional single by Kristi Scoles put two more runs on the board.
The Vikings would fight back in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Rachel Kramer, Brenda Stice and Case all hit back-to-back singles and Heins hit a double to score two runs.
There would be great confusion soon after, when Vikings catcher Lisa Gilbert bunted the ball up the first baseline. Case crossed home plate and it appeared NK had the game won. But the home plate umpire reversed the call, stating Gilbert kicked the ball and thus was called out for interference. The play was followed by North’s Melody Griffin, who flew out to end the inning deadlocked at four apiece.
In extra innings, Shelton would put up two runs in the top of the eighth. The Highclimbers Sara Shintaffer hit a double to drive in Shelton’s automatic second-baserunner.
Both teams are allowed a runner half-way around the diamond once extra innings begin under Olympic Rules.
Phipps scored Shintaffer off of an additional single to put Shelton up 6-4.
In the bottom of the eighth with automatic runner Molly McCluskey on second, Chrystal Camus hit a single just passed second base to score McCluskey and bring the game within one run. But after two more NK outs, Shelton had won the game.
North Kitsap (10-1 in league, 15-2 overall) will host Gig Harbor at 3:30 p.m. today.
