Host Taft High reversed its league fortunes following a season-opening home loss to Rainier by sweeping a Special District 1 softball doubleheader Friday with Warrenton.
“The girls played well today,” Taft coach Sandy Stuart said following 8-1 and 9-3 victories. “I was proud of their composure. Those were important wins for us in league.”
The Tigers improved to 9-4 and 2-1 in conference play behind junior starting pitcher Emma Coulter. Coulter struck out 13 and surrendered just three hits in the opener, and fanned five and yielded a lone triple in the second game.
“Emma pitched amazing from start to finish,” Stuart said. “She was putting more velocity on the ball and focusing on each out.”
Freshman Addie Gates went 3-for-4 in the opener, while junior Hailee Danneker and freshman Olivia Coulter had two hits each. Coulter drove home three runs in support of her older sister, and Gates two.
Gates, freshman Chloe Peterson and Emma Coulter scored two runs apiece for Taft.
“The defense worked behind Emma and our offense was aggressive,” Stuart said. “We timed the pitching and put the ball in play a lot more today than we have been. We were aggressive on the bases, which led to more runs.”
Sophomore Claira Tolan had two hits to lead the Tigers in the second game, while Gates scored twice. Emma Coulter, freshman Lily Hatton, junior Corey VanDamme, Peterson and Tolan drove home a run each for Taft.
“Going in to the second game we continued to play well,” Stuart said. “We had one inning where we had a few mishaps and misplayed balls. In previous games that has brought us down and ruined our momentum, but today it didn’t. The girls rallied to stay in control and worked together to bring themselves back up, which was huge.”
The Warriors fell to 3-5 and 0-2 in their opening league action of the season.
Taft returns to the diamond at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Willamina.
GAME 1 Taft 8, Warrenton 1 WARRENTON AB R H BI TAFT AB R H BI A Miethe 3 0 1 0 Hailee Danneker 4 1 2 0 D Bue 3 0 0 0 Kayla Lininger 3 0 1 0 J Freniere 3 0 1 0 Addie Gates 4 2 3 2 M Kapua 3 0 0 0 Emma Coulter 4 2 1 1 K Ramsey 3 1 1 0 Olivia Coulter 3 0 2 3 M kadera 3 0 0 0 Claira Tolan 3 1 1 1 R Dyer 2 0 0 0 Lily Hatton 3 0 1 1 L Thomas 3 0 0 0 Kyla Knott 2 0 0 0 C Bussert 2 0 0 0 Caitlyn Rundstrom 1 0 0 0 Chloe Peterson 3 2 0 0 TOTALS 25 1 3 0 TOTALS 30 8 11 8 WARRENTON 010 000 0 -- 1 TAFT 010 241 x -- 8 LOB--Warrenton 4, Taft 5. E--A Miethe (2), J Freniere, Olivia Coulter. 2B--J Freniere, Hailee Danneker. SACB--Kayla Lininger. SB--A Miethe, Addie Gates (2), Claira Tolan, Emma Coulter. WARRENTON IP H R ER BB SO HR M McFadden 5.00 9 7 5 0 2 0 A Miethe 1.00 2 1 0 0 1 0 TAFT Emma Coulter 7.00 3 1 0 1 13 0 PB--L Thomas, Hailee Danneker. SO--A Miethe, M Kapua (2), L Thomas (3), J Freniere (2), M kadera (2), C Bussert, D Bue, R Dyer, Caitlyn Rundstrom, Kayla Lininger, Chloe Peterson. BB--R Dyer.
GAME 2 Taft 9, Warrenton 3 WARRENTON AB R H BI TAFT AB R H BI A Miethe 4 0 1 1 Hailee Danneker 4 1 1 0 D Bue 4 0 0 0 Addie Gates 2 2 0 0 J Freniere 3 0 0 0 Emma Coulter 2 1 1 1 K Ramsey 2 1 0 0 Claira Tolan 4 1 2 1 B Quaschnick 3 1 0 0 Olivia Coulter 3 1 1 0 M kadera 3 0 0 0 Lily Hatton 2 1 0 1 R Dyer 3 0 0 0 Corey VanDamme 3 1 0 1 L Thomas 2 0 0 1 Kyla Knott 3 1 0 0 M Kapua 1 0 0 0 Kayla Lininger 1 0 0 0 C Bussert 1 1 0 0 Chloe Peterson 2 0 1 1 TOTALS 26 3 1 2 TOTALS 26 9 6 5 WARRENTON 001 200 0 -- 3 TAFT 101 502 x -- 9 LOB--Warrenton 5, Taft 8. E--A Miethe (2), J Freniere (2), Corey VanDamme, Emma Coulter. 2B--Chloe Peterson. 3B--A Miethe. HBP--Addie Gates. SACF--Chloe Peterson. SB--K Ramsey, B Quaschnick, Addie Gates (2), Hailee Danneker, Chloe Peterson, Corey VanDamme. WARRENTON IP H R ER BB SO HR A Miethe 4.00 4 7 3 5 1 0 M McFadden 2.00 2 2 2 2 0 0 TAFT Emma Coulter 7.00 1 3 1 3 5 0 PB--Hailee Danneker. WP--A Miethe, Emma Coulter. SO--A Miethe, L Thomas, M kadera, B Quaschnick (2), Addie Gates. BB--C Bussert (2), K Ramsey, Addie Gates, Lily Hatton (2), Olivia Coulter, Corey VanDamme, Emma Coulter (2).
