Unbelievable: Bonney Lake beats Peninsula in 3A state softball semis on game-ending triple play

Bonney Lake High School’s quarterfinal game with Peninsula in the 3A state softball tournament Friday night at the Regional Athletic Complex was a rematch of its bidistrict championship game with the Seahawks a week ago.

For six innings, the story was the same:

Peninsula’s junior right hander Alli Kimball was in charge, keeping all but two Panthers off the bases, not allowing a ball to be hit on the fly to the outfield. Her third inning home run seemed to be all the offense Peninsula would need to move into the state semifinals.

Then came a seventh inning that had to be seen to be believed and even then some fans likely walked away doubting reality. When it was over, Bonney Lake had a 3-2 victory and a date in Saturday’s semis against top-seeded Walla Walla.

Bonney Lake centerfielder Kyla Cross lined a single to left and reached second when Grace Estabrook bobbled the ball before throwing it back in. Bella Carazo, who got the pitching win after striking out eight and scattering eight hits, took a called third strike.

Up came Bella Jones, who had hit the ball hard twice already, lining out to first and singling up the middle. This time, she drove an 0-2 pitch far over the center field fence, putting the Panthers (22-3) ahead to stay, 2-1.

“Bella’s been our hottest hitter since playoffs started,” said Bonney Lake coach Kate Zender. “She was kind of in a slump at the end of the regular season but has really just stepped it up to get us into rallies. She did it again today.”

Jones wore the numeral 4 in eye black on her face in memory of one of the girls killed in the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

“Every at bat, I took a deep breath because I wanted to play for her,” she said. “I felt emotional about it.”

Just as they had when Ayrianna Pollard and Lauryn Lee went yard late in the 5-2 bidistrict championship loss to Kimball and the Seahawks (21-2), the Panthers made it back to back homers when, again with two strikes on her, Alissa Hermansen cleared the centerfield fence, extending the lead to 3-1.

“We talk about discipline and having each other’s back,” said Zender. “Right after Bella’s home run, I went to Alissa and I said ‘hey, the pressure’s now on them, relax and look for one to drive.’ She delivered.”

But Peninsula wasn’t giving up.

Number nine batter Hailey Ruckle, who had to watch Jones and Hermansen’s blasts soar over her head in centerfield on their way out of the park, planted one there herself, making it 3-2 with nobody out.

“That rolled it back to their 1-2-3 hitters, so I definitely got nervous there,” Zender said.

Leadoff batter Aislinn O’Reilly singled to the right of second and Lexani Perez came in to run for her. Malia Coit grounded a single just inside the left field line and the winning run was aboard for the Seahawks with nobody out. Kimball drew a four-pitch walk.

Four more pitches and Peninsula’s comeback crashed and burned on a play that may have happened somewhere before, but surely not too many times.

Glory Estabrook launched a towering fly toward Bonney Lake left fielder Kendell Thomas in foul territory. The Panthers bench and their fans yelled for Thomas to let it drop, lest Perez tag and score if she snagged the ball. She caught it and Perez headed home – without having tagged up.

Thomas got the ball to Jones via a relay from shortstop Jess Eaton and the umpires ruled Perez out for her early start. Seeing a bit of a Bonney Lake celebration taking place, Coit dashed for third and was tagged out. A game ending triple play on a 190-foot foul fly.

Said Jones, “I’ve never been in a game like that. I’ve always hoped for one. When they loaded the bases it was super stressful, but I knew we could do it.”

“This shows us that we have the ability to make it all the way,” said Zender. “Beating Peninsula means we have it in us. We could have seen them in the championship game if the bracket was different.”

The players feel momentum gathering from the unusual victory.

“We’re pumped. I’m so excited,” Jones, whose sister Gabby played on the Panthers 2018 state championship team.

MORE SCORES:

4A

(GAME 1) NO. 5 SKYLINE 10, NO. 12 EMERALD RIDGE 0, 6 INNINGS

(GAME 1) NO. 4 PUYALLUP 12, NO. 13 CHIAWANA 7

(GAME 1) NO. 8 REDMOND 9, NO. 9 OLYMPIA 1

(GAME 1) NO. 1 KENTWOOD 6, NO. 16 HANFORD 0

Sophomore pitcher Sarah Wright was incredible on the mound for the Conquerors.

Going all seven innings, Wright threw a no-hitter while striking 17 Falcons. The Kentwood offense didn’t disappoint either.

Freshman Sofia Mottern Salinas launched two home runs for three RBI, junior Hailey Jones had a triple and a run scored, senior Kiara Kamimae had a double and an RBI, as did sophomore Sarah Wright, and junior Sarah Rothenberger had an RBI.

(GAME 2) NO. 13 CHIAWANA 12, NO. 12 EMERALD RIDGE 9

(GAME 2) NO. 9 OLYMPIA 12, NO. 16 HANFORD 7

(GAME 2) NO. 4 PUYALLUP 2, NO. 5 SKYLINE 0

(GAME 2) NO. 8 REDMOND 5, NO. 1 KENTWOOD 1

The Conquerors couldn’t get any offense going in their loss to the Mustangs.

Junior Sarah Rothenberger’s RBI double scored senior Kiara Kamimae in the first inning. But that was it for Kentwood.

They would go on to lose in the next round to No. 11 Mount Si 21-1. Kentwood finishes with a record of 22-3.

(GAME 3) NO. 6 BATTLE GROUND 5, NO. 9 OLYMPIA 3

(GAME 3) NO. 11 MOUNT SI 21, NO. 1 KENTWOOD 1, 3 INNINGS

3A

(GAME 1) NO. 19 TIMBERLINE 6, NO. 14 PRAIRIE 3, 8 INNINGS

(GAME 2) NO. 3 ROOSEVELT 20, NO. 19 TIMBERLINE 4, 4 INNINGS

(GAME 1) NO. 15 AUBURN RIVERSIDE 5, NO. 18 KENNEWICK 3

(GAME 2) NO. 2 LAKE WASHINGTON 17, NO. 15 AUBURN RIVERSIDE 2, 4 INNINGS

(GAME 1) NO. 5 BONNEY LAKE 16, NO. 12 BALLARD 3, 5 INNINGS

(GAME 1) NO. 4 PENINSULA 6, NO. 13 MONROE 3

The Seahawks won with five home runs by the team.

Sophomore Malia Coit, freshman Ava Miranda, and junior Hailey Ruckle all had one, and senior Aislinn O’Reilly had two.

Meanwhile on the mound, junior Alli Kimball threw all seven innings, struck out 12 and gave up three runs.

(GAME 1) NO. 8 YELM 12, NO. 9 CASCADE (EVERETT) 4

(GAME 2) NO. 11 BLANCHET 7, NO. 19 TIMBERLINE 3

(GAME 2) NO. 15 AUBURN RIVERSIDE 14, NO.7 UNIVERSITY 3

(GAME 2) NO. 5 BONNEY LAKE 3, NO. 4 PENINSULA 2

Two home runs in the top of the seventh gave the Panthers their first and permanent lead.

Junior Bella Jones took the lead for Bonney Lake with her two run homer that scored junior Kyla Cross. Then in the next at bat, junior Alissa Hermansen hit her home run to extend the Bonney Lake lead.

Although junior Hailey Ruckle smacked a solo shot herself to cut the lead back down to one run, it wasn’t enough.

2A

(GAME 1) NO. 6 TUMWATER 18, NO. 11 NORTH KITSAP 0

(GAME 2) NO. 6 TUMWATER 5, NO. 3 LYNDEN 3

(GAME1) NO. 12 LAKEWOOD 8, NO. 5 FIFE 4

(GAME 2) NO. 4 SHADLE PARK 11, NO. 5 FIFE 1

1A

NO. 1 EATONVILLE 11, NO. 8 CASTLE ROCK 8, 10 INNINGS

This story was originally published May 28, 2022 at 12:14 AM.