Class 1B softball: DeSales places third, Dayton falls in consolation play in Yakima
YAKIMA - Though its reign as champions came to an end, the DeSales softball team rebounded from a disappointing loss in the semifinals with a third-place finish in the Class 1B state championships that wrapped up on Saturday, May 23, at the Gateway Sports Complex.
The young Irish, with just one senior on the roster, ended the year 23-8 including a 9-2 showing in the postseason.
DeSales beat Colton, 10-0, in the third-place game on Saturday afternoon.
Earlier on Saturday, the Irish eliminated Almira Coulee Hartline, 13-2, after dropping a 7-4 decision to eventual champion and league rival Liberty Christian.
"After the Liberty Christian loss, we told the girls, ‘It's a two-game season. Let's go undefeated and use it as a building block for next year," DeSales coach Pat Wahl said.
DeSales shut out Wilbur-Creston-Keller, 13-0, in Friday's quarterfinal round.
In their three tournament conquests, the Irish started with first-inning rallies.
"They were a key to calming everyone down and settling into their game," Wahl said. "It makes it a lot easier to coach people up."
The state placing happened despite the absence of starting catcher Tessa Mendoza due to injury.
"It wasn't going to define their season," Wahl said. "They were not going to go away easy. They have a lot of heart in them."
Dayton posted a 2-and-2 tournament record. It opened with a 6-1, loser-out win over Ocosta, the bowed to Liberty Christian, 11-1, in the quarterfinals. It overwhelmed Wilbur-Creston-Keller, 22-0, in a Saturday consolation contest before losing to Colton, 13-3.
DeSales 10, Colton 0
The Irish scored seven times on five hits in the first inning during their run-rule rout of the Wildcats.
Teresa Holtzinger and Addi Mason, the top two hitter in the DeSales order, had two hits apiece in the game.
Mason threw a two-hit shutout with six strikeouts for the Irish.
DeSales 13, ACH 2
The Irish put up four runs in the first inning and five more in the fifth while ending the Warriors' season in the consolation round.
Holtzinger, Linley Donnelly, and Madi Ortuno - the lone senior in the DeSales dugout - exercised multiple-hit magic with two apiece.
Peyton Benavides kept ACH off the scoreboard until the sixth inning. She fanned four in her route-going effort.
Liberty Christian 7, DeSales 4
A three-run home run by Kiana Westfall broke a 2-2 and DeSales' heart in the tournament semifinals.
The Irish, who beat the Patriots in both the 2024 and 2025 state championship games, trailed 2-0 after one inning, but rallied for single runs in the third and fourth innings to knot the score.
Roslyn Block had three hits for DeSales and Holtzinger chipped in with two.
DeSales 13, WCK 0
The Irish left little doubt about the quarterfinal game's outcome to the tune of a 10-run first inning.
Donnelly, who along with Holtzinger had two hits each, capped the onslaught with a bases-clearing double.
Benavides provided strength in the circle with a five-inning two-hitter. She posted four K's on the afternoon.
"We started out chilly, but we warmed up and persevered through the heat," Benavides said. "It (the first inning) was pretty nerve wracking, but we were pretty excited (afterward). I put my trust in my team because I know they have my back."{/div}
Dayton 6, Ocosta 1
The Bulldogs were solid "in the field and at the plate," according to coach Jeremy Trump.
Lucy Trump got the Bulldogs going in the first inning with a hit and scored the first run of the game, coach Trump said. Cindi Howard led the offensive attack with three hits, with Trump and Alexa Jones collecting two hits each, coach Trump said.
Kyla Thurston threw a complete game for the Bulldogs that was spiced by 13 strikeouts.
"Kyla pitched her best game of the season - with a dominant performance with the Bulldogs playing solid defense behind her," coach Trump said.
Liberty Christian 11, Dayton 1
The Bulldogs "came out a little flat in this game and just never really got going, coach Trump said. Marissa Tupling pitched the full five innings, and Skyla Johnson and Kyla Thurston each collected a hit with Johnson scoring the only run, coach Trump said.
"We struggled through a slow start, but battled hard against the number-one seed," coach Trump said. "I am proud that we continued to fight."
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