By JOHN McCALLUM
Editor
The Medical Lake softball team kept their state playoff hopes alive by using a little lumber.
The fifth-seeded Lady Cards pounded out 10 hits, and overcame three errors to upset third seeded West Valley 7-4 in the loser out round of the Great Northern League playoffs last Saturday.
Nine of the 10 hits were singles as Medical Lake broke open a 4-4 tie with three runs in the top of the seventh.
With two outs, the Lady Cards got a walk, followed by a Liz Walker single, and two-run double by Jessica Johnson.
Richelle Daily then added an RBI single to give her teammates a little extra cushion that the defense and starting pitcher Johnson made stand up for the win.
Medical Lake got a two hits a piece from Walker, Nikki Anderson and Johnson, who also doubled for the Lady Cards only multi-base hit. Johnson got the win on the mound.
Earlier in the week the Lady Cards got a little playoff tune up by traveling south to Colfax for a doubleheader with the Bulldogs, 11-4 in Northeast A League play, and 15-6 overall.
Medical Lake came away with a split, losing the opener 9-2, but rallying from an early 3-0 deficit with two runs in the third, one in the fourth and two more in the fifth to win the nightcap 5-3.
Chelsea Hardenbrook got all three of Medical Lake's hits in the first game, as well as a pair of hits in the second. Carey Campbell and Johnson each doubled in the Lady Cards seven-hit attack, while freshman Gabrielle Daily got the win, and Johnson the save.
Medical Lake (5-7 GNL, 9-10 overall) now advances to the double elimination round of the playoffs, and travels north to face top-seeded Colville (14-0, 19-0) on Wednesday, results next week.
The Lady Cards will then face either Pullman or Clarkston, who also play on Wednesday, on Saturday in either a loser out, or winner to state contest at Dora Burt and Reinking fields in Medical Lake. Game times on Saturday are 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m.
John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com
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