The Taft High lineup shared the offensive support of junior starting pitcher Emma Coulter, who went the distance in two seven-inning games Friday for a league doubleheader softball sweep of host Willamina.
Freshman Addie Gates and sophomore Kyle Knott joined Coulter with two hits each in a 5-1 win in the first game, while junior Hailee Danneker and freshman Chloe Peterson had two hits apiece in a 10-4 victory in the second as the fourth-ranked Tigers improved to 15-6 overall and 7-3 in Special District 1 play.
“Despite not being 100 percent healthy physically and not mentally showing up when the game started we were able to win the first game,” Taft coach Sandy Stuart said. “Between a couple of injuries and illnesses we were not 100 percent today. Overall, we enjoyed the sunshine and slugged through.”
Knott drove home two runs and Coulter doubled in the opener as Taft broke open a scoreless game with two runs in the fourth and fifth innings and one in the sixth to drop the last-place Bulldogs to 5-11, 1-7.
Kayla Lininger drove in two runs and fellow sophomore Claira Tolan scored twice in the second game as the Tigers jumped on top 3-0 with two runs in the first and another in the second.
“We came out with a little bit more enthusiasm and scored quickly,” Stuart said. “We put the ball in play more and forced more plays.”
Taft returns to play at 4:30 p.m. Monday in a nonleague game at PacWest member at Blanchet Catholic.
The Tigers close out their home season at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday against Scio and their regular season with a 3 p.m. doubleheader Friday at No. 1-ranked and undefeated Clatskanie.
“These were league games we needed to win and we did the job” Stuart said. “Next week will be a big week full of tough games and Senior Night on Wednesday.”
Game 1 Taft 5, Willamina 1 TAFT AB R H BI WILLAMINA AB R H BI Hailee Danneker 4 1 1 0 T Hunt 2 0 0 0 Addie Gates 4 1 2 0 M Tuck 3 0 0 0 Emma Coulter 3 0 2 1 K Graham 2 1 1 0 Kayla Lininger 3 1 1 0 E Neville 3 0 0 0 Olivia Coulter 4 0 0 0 R Mooney 3 0 0 1 Claira Tolan 4 1 0 0 M Mooney 3 0 1 0 Kyla Knott 4 0 2 2 P Shrabel 3 0 0 0 Corey VanDamme 3 0 1 1 L Nolen 3 0 0 0 Chloe Peterson 3 0 0 0 O Mestas 3 0 0 0 Lily Hatton 0 1 0 0 TOTALS 32 5 9 4 TOTALS 25 1 2 1 TAFT 000 221 0 -- 5 WILLAMINA 000 001 0 -- 1 LOB--TAFT 8, WILLAMINA 6. E-Addie Gates, Caitlyn Rundstrom, L Nolen, O Mestas. 2B--Emma Coulter, K Graham. HBP--Emma Coulter, T Hunt, K Graham. SB--Kyla Knott, Addie Gates (2), R Mooney, K Graham. TAFT IP H R ER BB SO HR Emma Coulter 7.00 2 1 1 1 7 0 WILLAMINA K Graham 7.00 9 5 3 1 1 0 WP--Emma Coulter, K Graham (2). SO--Kayla Lininger, M Mooney, P Shrabel, L Nolen, R Mooney, O Mestas, T Hunt (2). BB--Kayla Lininger, T Hunt.
GAME 2 Taft 10, Willamina 4 TAFT AB R H BI WILLAMINA AB R H BI Hailee Danneker 3 3 2 0 T Hunt 3 0 0 0 Addie Gates 2 1 0 0 M Tuck 2 1 0 0 Emma Coulter 4 0 1 1 L Rust 0 0 0 0 Kayla Lininger 3 1 1 2 K Graham 4 1 1 0 Olivia Coulter 4 0 0 0 E Neville 3 0 1 1 Claira Tolan 3 2 1 0 R Mooney 3 1 1 0 Kyla Knott 2 0 0 0 M Mooney 3 0 1 1 Caitlyn Rundstrom 1 1 0 0 E Shrabel 2 0 0 0 Corey VanDamme 4 1 1 0 L Nolen 3 0 0 0 Chloe Peterson 4 1 2 1 O Mestas 2 1 1 0 D Leno 1 0 0 0 TOTALS 30 10 8 4 TOTALS 26 4 5 2 TAFT 210 015 1 -- 10 WILLAMINA 002 011 0 -- 4 LOB--TAFT 6, WILLAMINA 5. E--Kyla Knott, Caitlyn Rundstrom, Kayla Lininger, Claira Tolan, M Mooney (4), E Shrabel. 2B--Hailee Danneker. HBP--E Shrabel. SACF--Kayla Lininger. SACB--Addie Gates. TAFT IP H R ER BB SO HR Emma Coulter 7.00 5 4 2 3 5 0 WILLAMINA L Nolen 5.33 7 9 8 5 0 0 K Graham 1.67 1 1 0 0 2 0 PB--Hailee Danneker, R Mooney (2). WP--L Nolen (4). SO--Caitlyn Rundstrom, Corey VanDamme, D Leno, M Mooney, E Shrabel, R Mooney, T Hunt. BB--Addie Gates, Caitlyn Rundstrom, Hailee Danneker (2), Claira Tolan, M Tuck, L Rust, T Hunt.
