Orcas faced off against the La Conner Braves on Saturday, May 22 for the Tri-District championship title. After a fierce fight, the Braves eluded Orcas for a 7-5 win, putting the Vikes second in the tournament.

La Conner got things rolling early, scoring a run in the first inning. Orcas answered back in the bottom half when Lanie Padbury took first base with a single, then stole second and third; Mackie Taylor hit a double to send Padbury home, tying the score 1-1.

“Here’s where the wheels fell off for us,” said Harris. “At the top of the second inning, La Conner got a couple runners on base with some timely hits and a couple Viking errors to score four runs, putting the score at 5-1. Then Adria (Garcia) twisted her ankle and had to leave the game.”

He said pitcher Bobbi Lowry and the Viking defense stepped up to hold the Braves scoreless in the third and fourth innings as the Vikings battled back. In the bottom of the third, Alison O’Toole and Emily Bodenhamer both bunted and sped to first and second bases. With runners at first and second, Padbury smashed a three-run home over the fence, sending Bodenhamer, O’Toole and herself safely home.

At the bottom of the fourth, Lowry hit a single and courtesy runner Huxley Smart took over at first, then stole second. Freshman Lana Bronn hit a hard single up the middle and Huxley scored to tie the game, 5-5.

La Conner finally slipped loose to score in the fifth inning and again in the seventh, finishing the game with a 7-5 lead as the Tri-District champions.

Orcas heads off to Yakima for State championships on May 28, and catcher Lindsay Anderson is still on crutches. “We still don’t know the extent of her injuries, but she’s being a great teammate and cheerleader,” said Harris.

For more team photos, see the the Orcas Softball Facebook album.