Mark Morris softball finishes league play undefeated for 2nd straight season
VANCOUVER - Paisley Fraidenburg hit a 3-run homer and Makenzie Henthorn struck out 12 batters to lead Mark Morris softball past Columbia River 3-0 during the team's final game of the regular season on Wednesday at the Salmon Creek Sports Association Complex.
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The Monarchs finished 17-1 overall with a perfect 14-0 mark in the 2A Greater St. Helens League, going undefeated in conference play for the second straight year. This comes after winning their third consecutive league title on Monday. Mark Morris only gave up one run total in league play this season, outscoring its 2A GSHL opponents 185-1.
"This team is different," Mark Morris coach Chris Mejia said. "We're just different this year."
Mark Morris softball: Paisley Fraidenburg homer
Mark Morris' Paisley Fraidenburg, third from the left, screams out in excitement following her 3-run home run during a softball game against Columbia River on Wednesday, May 6, at the Salmon Creek Sports Association Complex in Vancouver. Fraidenburg put the Monarchs up for good against the Rapids, helping them finish league play undefeated for the second straight year.
Against the Rapids, with the Monarchs struggling to get on base and move runners, they finally broke through in the top of the sixth inning. Keira McGinley reached first base on a Columbia River error. Megan Fugleberg proceeded to move her to second and got on base herself with a successful bunt. Then, Fraidenburg came up to the plate.
The sophomore asked for a quick timeout to talk to Mejia and gather herself after she took her first strike looking against Columbia River pitcher Ruby Lew.
"I told him that I just needed a moment to chill out," Fraidenburg said. "I just needed to breathe and I needed to walk somewhere."
In that moment, her coach gave her words of encouragement.
"I told her, 'She's gonna throw you one, and when you see it, crush that thing,'" Mejia said.
And she did indeed crush it. After the pitch count went full, she smashed the ball past the centerfield fence for a 3-run home run that put the Monarchs up for good.
"I knew I could hit off Ruby," Fraidenburg said. "I was just telling myself, 'I'm gonna hit the ball. I'm gonna do it for my team.'"
Mark Morris softball: Paisley Fraidenburg
Mark Morris' Paisley Fraidenburg swings her bat during a softball game against Columbia River on Wednesday, May 6, at the Salmon Creek Sports Association Complex in Vancouver. On top of her home run, Fraidenburg also threw runners out at first and third base while catching for the Monarchs.
Fraidenburg also made key defensive plays throughout the game while catching for the Monarchs, throwing runners out at first and third to stop the Rapids' momentum. She said she knew Columbia River was aggressive on the bases, so she stayed ready every pitch.
"The way she sees the game, it just astounds me sometimes," Mejia said.
In addition to Fraidenburg's home run and Fugleberg's bunt, Henthorn, Shyanne Sellers, and Shailia Wild also notched hits for Mark Morris. In the circle, Henthorn only surrendered two hits on top of striking out 12 batters in seven innings.
Mark Morris softball: Makenzie Henthorn
Mark Morris' Makenzie Henthorn throws a pitch during a softball game against Columbia River on Wednesday, May 6, at the Salmon Creek Sports Association Complex in Vancouver. Henthorn struck out 12 batters while only giving up two hits in seven innings of action in the circle.
It was a pitcher's duel for most of the game as Lew generated 15 strikeouts in seven innings for the Rapids.
"For four years I've had to battle (Lew)," Mejia said. "Probably for the first two or three years, she had our number."
Mark Morris will now get ready for the district tournament. The Monarchs' earned the No. 1 seed out of the 2A GSHL and will play an opponent that is yet to be determined at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, at Recreation Park in Chehalis.
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