Taft junior starting pitcher Emma Coulter struck out nine in five shutout innings Thursday for a 10-0 Special District 1 softball playoff victory over visiting Warrenton that virtually ensured the Tigers a home game in the Class 3A State playoffs.
“We came out pumped up and ready to play today,” Taft coach Sandy Stuart said, as the team honored lone senior Caitlyn Rundstrom on Senior Night. “Emma threw the ball well and we were relaxed as hitters.”
Sophomore Kayla Lininger drove home three runs on two hits, and joined Coulter and sophomores Claira Tolan and Kyla Knott with two runs each as the Tigers scored once in the second inning, six times in the third and three more in the fourth en route to the win.
“We were able to honor Caitlyn tonight as well,” Stuart said. “She has been an athlete in Lincoln City her whole life. She has been a varsity softball player for three seasons here at Taft and helped us to the playoffs.”
“She loves playing,” Rundstrom’s mother, Mandi, said. “She’s been playing since she was 5. Its great to come to her games and see her enthusiasm.”
Rundstrom drove home two runs in the win. Coulter, her sister, Olivia, Lininger and junior Corey VanDamme all doubled for Taft.
The victory, coming in five innings due to the state’s 10-run mercy rule, improved the sixth-ranked and third-place Tigers to 17-8 overall and ended the Warriors season at 7-16.
“Now, we have to wait until Saturday to find out where all the rankings freeze at and to know who we play Wednesday in the first round,” Stuart said.
Taft 10, Warrenton 0 WARRENTON AB R H BI TAFT AB R H BI A Miethe 3 0 1 0 Hailee Danneker 3 1 1 1 D Bue 3 0 1 0 Addie Gates 4 1 0 0 J Freniere 2 0 0 0 Emma Coulter 3 2 2 1 R Dyer 2 0 1 0 Kayla Lininger 3 2 2 3 K Ramsey 2 0 1 0 Olivia Coulter 3 0 1 1 M kadera 2 0 0 0 Claira Tolan 2 2 0 0 B Quaschnick 2 0 0 0 Kyla Knott 3 2 1 1 L Thomas 2 0 1 0 Corey VanDamme 2 0 1 1 M Kapua 2 0 0 0 Caitlyn Rundstrom 1 0 0 2 TOTALS 20 0 5 0 TOTALS 24 10 8 10 WARRENTON 000 00 -- 0 TAFT 016 3x -- 10 LOB--WARRENTON 5, TAFT 7. E--M Kapua (4), B Quaschnick. 2B--Kayla Lininger, Olivia Coulter, Corey VanDamme, Emma Coulter. HBP--Claira Tolan. SACF--Hailee Danneker. SB--Hailee Danneker. WARRENTON IP H R ER BB SO HR M McFadden 3.00 6 7 6 1 1 0 A Miethe 0.33 2 3 2 2 0 0 M kadera 0.67 0 0 0 0 0 0 TAFT Emma Coulter 5.00 5 0 0 0 9 0 WP--A Miethe (2), Emma Coulter (2). SO--A Miethe, M Kapua (2), L Thomas, J Freniere (2), M kadera, K Ramsey, B Quaschnick, Claira Tolan. BB--Caitlyn Rundstrom (2), Corey VanDamme.
