The Taft High softball team rallied from an eight-run first-inning deficit to defeat No. 1-ranked Cascade Christian 12-11 Monday in the North Medford Spring Break Invite.
The Tigers then downed Amity 20-0 in five innings in the second game at US Cellular Field.
“They [Cascade Christian] are always a solid program and we knew going in it would be a tough matchup,” Taft coach Sandy Stuart said. “We started a little sleepy and nervous. Luckily, we were able to bring the momentum our way.”
Taft rallied for six runs in the bottom of the first inning behind junior starter Emma Coulter following the eight-run early uprising by the Cougars.
“We stayed composed and were able to control the game the rest of the way,” Stuart said. “We had a good outing on offense and were able to walk off with the win.”
Junior first-team All-State catcher Hailee Danneker led the Tigers with three hits, including her first home run of the season.
Sophomore Claira Tolan and freshmen Addie Gates and Chloe Peterson also had extra-base hits for Taft. Tolan and sophomore Kayla Lininger had two hits each, while Peterson drove home three runs and Lininger two for Taft.
Meanwhile, Taft scored nine runs in the fourth inning and seven in the fifth after building a 4-0 lead in the second-game rout of Amity. Sophomore Makena Cole and Coulter hit home runs for the Tigers, who collected seven extra-base hits.
Danneker went 4-for-4 while switching to the leadoff spot in the lineup, and matched Cole and Coulter with three RBIs. Coulter also had four hits and joined Gates with three runs scored.
“It did feel good to beat one of our rivals from the last few seasons,” Stuart said. “We came out very strong offensively and collected a ton of hits. I think the stats speak for themselves on this one. We also got to see everyone playing in the field and at bat, which was awesome.”
Amity managed just one hit against Coulter, who struck out eight in five innings.
Special District 1 member Taft improved to 4-1 while handing Cascade Christian of the Far West League its first defeat in four games and dropping Amity of the PacWest Conference to 1-4.
Taft returns to action at 8 a.m. Tuesday against Butte Falls/Crater Lake Charter Academy and plays South Umpqua at 10 a.m. in the second game.
GAME 1 Taft 12, Cascade Christian 11 CASCADE CHRISTIAN AB R H BI TAFT AB R H BI A Quast 3 2 1 0 Kyla Knott 4 1 1 0 R Clark 4 1 0 0 Addie Gates 3 0 1 1 K Willard 4 2 2 1 Lilly Salsbery 1 0 0 0 M Meilicke 3 2 1 0 Hailee Danneker 4 2 3 1 K Palmer 4 1 1 2 Emma Coulter 4 1 1 0 A Modrell 4 2 2 0 Claira Tolan 4 2 2 1 E Knight 3 1 1 0 Kayla Lininger 4 2 2 2 N Joseph 3 0 1 1 Olivia Coulter 4 1 0 0 C Sweem 4 0 0 1 Makena Cole 3 2 1 1 Chloe Peterson 3 1 1 3 TOTALS 32 11 9 5 TOTALS 34 12 12 9 CASCADE CHRISTIAN 800 021 0 -- 11 TAFT 600 060 x -- 12 LOB--Cascade Christian 6, Taft 4. E--A Quast, M Meilicke, R Clark, K Willard, K Palmer, N Joseph, Kyla Knott, Addie Gates, Kayla Lininger (2). 2B--K Willard, Addie Gates, Claira Tolan. 3B--K Willard, Chloe Peterson. HR--Hailee Danneker. HBP--M Meilicke, R Clark, E Knight, N Joseph. SB--A Quast, Kayla Lininger. CASCADE CHRISTIAN IP H R ER BB SO HR K Willard 6.00 12 12 6 0 8 1 TAFT Emma Coulter 7.00 9 11 7 2 5 0 PB--A Modrell. WP--Emma Coulter. SO--M Meilicke, A Modrell, E Knight, N Joseph (2), Lilly Salsbery, Addie Gates (2), Kayla Lininger, Olivia Coulter, Makena Cole, Hailee Danneker, Chloe Peterson. BB--A Quast (2).
GAME 2 Taft 20, Amity 0 TAFT AB R H BI AMITY AB R H BI Hailee Danneker 4 3 4 3 Keeley Graham 3 0 0 0 Kyla Knott 2 1 0 0 Kaitlyn Graham 1 0 0 0 Makena Cole 2 1 1 3 G Rolston 2 0 0 0 Emma Coulter 5 3 4 3 G Wright 2 0 1 0 Claira Tolan 5 1 2 1 K Lanning 1 0 0 0 Addie Gates 3 3 2 1 A Trunde 1 0 0 0 Kayla Lininger 4 1 2 2 A Sambuceto 2 0 0 0 Lily Hatton 2 2 1 1 R Brown 2 0 0 0 Olivia Coulter 4 2 2 1 S Sexton 0 0 0 0 Chloe Peterson 2 1 2 1 K Bailey 2 0 0 0 Lilly Salsbery 1 2 0 0 TOTALS 34 20 20 16 TOTALS 16 0 1 0 TAFT 121 97 -- 20 AMITY 000 00 -- 0 LOB--Taft 6, Amity 4. E--Addie Gates, Kaitlyn Graham, A Sambuceto, C Stables, G Rolston. 2B--Addie Gates, Hailee Danneker, Chloe Peterson, Emma Coulter (2). HR--Makena Cole, Emma Coulter. HBP--Kyla Knott, Hailee Danneker. SACF--Addie Gates. SB--Addie Gates, Hailee Danneker, Claira Tolan, H Hoff. TAFT IP H R ER BB SO HR Emma Coulter 5.00 1 0 0 3 8 0 AMITY G Rolston 3.00 11 11 11 2 1 0 G Wright 2.00 9 9 9 2 1 2 PB--S Sexton (5). WP--G Wright, G Rolston (3). SO--Kyla Knott, Makena Cole, R Brown, Keeley Graham (2), Kaitlyn Graham, K Bailey (2), K Lanning, G Rolston. BB--Lilly Salsbery, Addie Gates, Lily Hatton (2), Kaitlyn Graham, S Sexton (2).
