Top baseball, softball performances of Week 8: Silas’ Medalia completes cycle
A look at the week’s top high school baseball and softball performances in the South Sound, including contests played between April 27-May 2.
SILAS’ MEDALIA HITS FOR CYCLE
Natalie Medalia’s cycle didn’t take the traditional route.
The single came last.
A screaming, two-run double in the first inning put Silas in front. A go-ahead triple and solo home run in the second inning reclaimed the lead, part of a 10-run explosion. And most importantly for the Rams standout? The hard part was over.
Medalia collected the all-important single in the fourth, marking her second-career high school cycle at Silas. It’s the latest achievement in a four-year softball career chock full of them.
Believe it or not, Medalia was unaware of her elusive feat until she returned to the Rams dugout, where head coach Chris Johnson broke the news.
“One of my main focuses… is keeping a calm and level head and trying to set a good example for the younger girls... but I definitely let myself show a lot of excitement, too,” Medalia told The News Tribune.
Wednesday brought out both sides.
Silas scored a season-high 32 runs on a sunny Wednesday afternoon at Lincoln High. Medalia went 5-for-6 with six RBI and third baseman Isabella Armstrong went 6-for-6. It’s a full-circle moment for the Rams duo.
“It’s funny, actually. She got me to play soccer, so I got her to play softball,” Medalia said.
It’s safe to say Armstrong is thankful she took Medalia’s advice.
“She’s one of my best friends,” Medalia said. “I got her to play this year, and so seeing her, especially on Wednesday, go 6-for-6… was just kind of surreal in a way. And I was just so happy, and it was a great chance for me to experience joy through my teammates and just be super hyped for the team.
“And same with Cailey (Howell). She’s made great adjustments at the plate.”
Howell, a senior, hit four doubles (4-for-5, 6 RBI) and earned the win as Silas’ pitcher, tossing 3 ⅔ strong innings (3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K). But it was Medalia who led the charge, a Linfield University signee at or near the top of South Sound leaderboards in every hitting category.
Here’s where Medalia ranks among South Sound softball players this spring, as of May 1:
AVG — .778 (1st)
OBP — .785 (2nd)
SLG — 1.759 (2nd)
RBI — 52 (2nd)
HR — 12 (2nd)
“She’s always level,” Johnson said. “Doesn’t get too high, doesn’t get too low. A competitor to the highest level. She treats all of her teammates well, and she always works hard.
“Darn near perfect attendance at practice. She’s a workhorse. She loves the grind. The only day she’s missed at practice, honestly, was going down to Linfield (where) she’s committed to play softball.
“She’ll be missed going forward as she graduates and moves on. ... We could use 10 players just like her over here.”
Medalia has recorded a hit in all but one game this year, a five-inning loss to Peninsula when she received just two at-bats (0-for-2) on April 15.
“One of the things I’ve struggled with in the past has been, when I fail or when I get into a small slump, I don’t keep that level head, and so that’s where my consistency kind of gets thrown off,” Medalia said. “So it’s definitely helped me to just reset and keep going to the next at-bat. I’d definitely say that’s attributed to how consistent I’ve been.”
KENTWOOD’S HALL TOSSES NO-HITTER
South Sound pitchers have already thrown a dozen total no-hitters this spring — and Kentwood Baseball’s Isaac Hall just joined the list.
Hall delivered a gem in Wednesday’s 10-0 win over Auburn, authoring his first high school no-hitter in dominant fashion.
The senior right-hander struck out eight without a walk across five innings, retiring Auburn’s first 11 hitters in order. Aside from a fourth-inning hit by pitch, Hall was perfect.
Hall needed just 60 pitches to breeze through five frames as Kentwood pulled away for a 10-run mercy win. The Conquerors erupted for a five-run second inning, designated hitter Cael Miller homered in the third, and another pair of runs in the fifth provided Hall’s chance for an early no-no.
In nine appearances (36.2 IP) this season, Hall is 3-3 with a 2.29 ERA, 18 walks and 51 strikeouts. He won’t move far when he graduates this spring, trekking 52 miles up Interstate 5 to play for Everett Community College’s baseball program.
