Puyallup softball beats Rogers, 3-2, win bidistrict tournament

Sometimes, the third time really is the charm.

The Puyallup girls softball team certainly thought so, finally defeating crosstown rival Rogers, 3-2, for the first time in three meetings this year — and for the 4A West Central/Southwest bidistrict tournament title to boot.

In the regular season Rogers had the Vikings’ number, handing them two of their three loses.

“It’s hard to beat a team three times in a row,” Puyallup junior third basemen Sophia Bjerk said. “We lost to Rogers both times in league, so to come back and get this win, it’s pretty big of everyone pulling it off together.”

The Vikings scored early, posting one run in the third inning and two in the fourth. But what really propelled the Vikings to the bidistrict championship was their good pitching performances and fielding, says head coach Tony Batinovich.

“Our senior pitcher, Abigail Cotchaleovitch, came in and just spun a great game,” Batinovich said. “Then Sidney Booth came in and finished it out in the last two innings. She had a lights-out day.”

This is the second year in a row that the Vikings have won bidistricts. Puyallup will enter the state tournament as the No. 1 seed. State starts next weekend and will be played at the Dwight-Merkel Sports Complex in Spokane.

This story was originally published May 21, 2017 at 9:32 PM with the headline "Puyallup softball beats Rogers, 3-2, win bidistrict tournament."