Colfax girls win ticket to state finals

Colfax booked a comeback win and then sustained a decisive loss Tuesday at the Merkel softball complex in Spokane to win entry into the state finals next week at Yakima. The district finish contrasts with last year when the Bulldogs were jolted by Springdale in the last round of district play.

Colfax Tuesday posted a 13-8 win over Kettle Falls, number-two finisher in on the NE north side.

They then sustained a 15-0 pounding from Northwest Christian, a team which finished the NE undefeated this year and carries a top rating into the big show at Yakima next week. Northwest Christian now stands at 23-0.

In the first game against Kettle, the Bulldogs trailed 2-7 after the first two innings, but they charged for four runs in the third inning and six more in the fourth inning to take control of the game and advance to the NE title game against the Crusaders.

Colfax finished with 14 hits against the K-dogs. They took the win after being charted for 11 errors in the semi-final game.

For the six-run breakout in the fourth inning Helina Hahn started the charge with a double and Abbie Miller capped it with a triple. Shyah Antoine and Madi Shrope also had doubles in the six-run rally.

Coach Michelle Miller noted the feature of the rally turned out to be a rap by Anni Cox who looked like she had launched a homer over the left field fence. The Kettle outfielder collected it at the fence, but it rated as a PR blast for the petite Cox.

The big rally was booked after Colfax held Kettle to three up and three down in their half of the third inning.

After stacking seven runs in the first two innings, Kettle scored just one more run in the game.

Colfax pitcher Abbie Miller allowed eights hits, struck out eight K batters and walked just two.

After the semi win, Colfax fortunes turned. Northwest Christian pitcher Allison Shaler held the Bulldogs to three hits. Cox had a single and Shrope had two singles.

Miller fanned four Crusaders and allowed eight hits.

The Crusaders had a 7-0 lead after four innings and then scored eight in the top of the fifth to shut the NE title game down on the 10-run rule.

Northwest Christian advanced to the title game after stacking a 16-6 win over Asotin.

Asotin’s season ended when Liberty took a 7-5 win in the loser-out game. The Lancers finished with three wins in the final day to place third, and LRS stopped Kettle 12-7 for the fourth NE ticket to state.

Colfax defeated Colton 3-2 last Thursday night in a non-league game at McDonald Park. The Bulldogs trailed 1-2 until they scored two runs in the bottom of the last inning with Abby Boyer scoring the game winner on a passed ball.

Miller allowed two hits and struck out five Wildcats in taking the win. Boyer had two hits with a triple. Chelsea Becker and Miller had the other Colfax hits.