As of press time on Saturday, Thunder Mountain High School was a perfect 3-0 in the Alaska School Activities Association/First National Bank Alaska State Softball Championships. The small schools tournament so far has been eerily reminiscent of last year’s for the Falcons. TMHS played the same two teams — Hutchinson and Soldotna — in the first day of the tournament as last year.
Unlike last year though, this year’s tournament started a day early for pool play to determine the seeding for Friday and Saturday’s bracket.
TMHS played Juneau-Douglas High School Saturday morning in the semifinals as the only two remaining unbeaten in the tournament.
Soldotna no match for Falcons in two tries
It would seem playing Soldotna on Thursday in pool play served as an advantage in a rematch Friday.
The Falcons defeated Soldotna 18-7 on Thursday thanks to three and four-hit outings for Haleigh DiCarlo and Alondra Echiverri respectively.
The game on Friday wrapped up early thanks to TMHS’ high-caliber offense, ending 15-0 in the Falcons’ favor.
The Stars’ Danielle Hills struck out two batters in the first inning Friday but was ineffective in the second. Hills walked the first three batters she faced before the Falcons hit six doubles to score 11 runs.
Kyra Jenkins Hayes struck out the side in the top of the third inning before TMHS resumed their hit-fest to bring the game to an early end.
Maxie Saceda-Hurt hit an RBI double to center field. Later, both Saceda-Hurt and Nina Fenumiai stole home. The game was called at 15-0 with two outs in the third inning
Echiverri rescues Falcons from early loss against Hutchinson
Echiverri took over Thursday’s game with three hits — including an eighth-inning grand slam — to rescue the Falcons from an early deficit against Hutchinson High School (Fairbanks) in their first game of the state softball tournament.
TMHS won the game 11-7 as Jenkins Hayes and Nina Fenumiai pitched for the Falcons.
Hutchinson’s Kelly Ragan struck out 12 but had trouble getting Echiverri out all game.
The senior started the fourth with a double which was followed up by a Jenkins Hayes’ triple. The sophomore pitcher and her teammate Peyton Harp scored before the inning was up.
DiCarlo threw out Elizabeth Burudi at home on a single by Kelsea Huntington in the fifth, saving a run and keeping her team up by one.
In the fifth inning, Echiverri tripled. Eight batters and four runs later, she hit a grand slam. TMHS scored eight in the inning.
• Contact sports reporter Nolin Ainsworth at 523-2272 or nolin.ainsworth@juneauempire.com.
