Softball: Astoria holds off Seaside, 1-0
Published 11:08 pm Tuesday, May 7, 2019
It was a Clatsop Clash, league finale and Senior Day all rolled into one Tuesday afternoon at CMH Field, where the Lady Fishermen were hosting their friendly rivals from the south county.
And while Astoria may have been expecting another easy win — like the first three clashes — the Seaside Gulls saved their best for last.
The Fishermen still got the victory, 1-0, but it was anything but easy.
Seaside came in with a 1-10 league record, having lost their last five games by scores of 13-3, 16-5, 20-3, 12-0 and 10-0.
Just six days earlier, the Lady Fish knocked off the Gulls by 17 runs.
And Tuesday’s game had the appearance of another potential blowout in the bottom of the first, as Astoria’s Hailey O’Brien drew a leadoff walk, stole second, then scored on a ground-rule double by Julia Norris.
That, however, would be the end of the scoring for the day.
Seaside sophomore pitcher Gracie Rhodes settled in and gave up just three more hits over the next five innings.
Norris had three of Astoria’s four hits, but the Fishermen stranded seven baserunners, and for just the second time this season were held to just one run (not even the No. 4-ranked Banks Braves could do that).
On the other hand, the Gulls were facing Norris, arguably the best pitcher in the Cowapa.
Seaside out-hit Astoria, five to four, but the Gulls managed just one inning with more than one base runner. That was the top of the sixth, in which Alyssa Goin and Kandice Flaigg had singles, but both were stranded.
Norris gave up little else, striking out 11 with no walks.
“Our defense played great, Julia pitched well … we just didn’t hit the ball,” said Astoria coach Kent Israel, Jr. “But I don’t want to take anything away from Seaside. (Rhodes) pitched well, and they played some good defense, too.”