Lady Braves open NW2B campaign with key road win

Casey at the bat faltered mightily in the famous Ernest Thayer poem.

But, in a case of poetic justice for the La Conner High Lady Braves, it was Kahneesha Casey who delivered a big win from the pitcher’s circle in the team’s NW2B opener at Orcas last week.

Casey struck out seven Orcas batters while scattering seven hits as La Conner forged a 10-7 triumph in the league game half of a Tuesday afternoon twinbill.

Chloe Fullington ignited a La Conner attack that would post double digits three times last week.

Fullington was a perfect four-for-four at the plate. She scored three times and drove home another marker for the victors.

Liz Tripp added another three safeties, including a booming triple. She plated once and drove in a pair of runs.

Brook Hasenbalg likewise enjoyed a multiple hit game, lacing two singles.

La Conner also prevailed 10-3 in the doubleheader’s non-binding nightcap. This time it was a case of Orcas literally being Tripped up.

Tripp took over in the circle and hurled nine strikeouts, yielding just four hits en route to a complete game triumph.

She helped her cause with a base hit as well.

La Conner’s Riley Banaszak, Sarah McCormack, and Jayna Whited had two hits apiece.

Banaszak, whose defensive work behind the plate was praised afterward by La Conner head coach Peg Seeling, matched McCormack with two RBIs. Whited drove in a run with one of her singles and recorded nine putouts and an assist at first base.

Casey was a hero again two days later at Darrington. She fanned 11 hitters and threw a tidy four-hitter — all singles — in an 11-1 non-league verdict over yet another NW2B foe.

The lone Lady Logger run was unearned.

Tripp and Lexi Bobb paced the winners with two hits each. Tripp had a double and a single and drove in two runs. Bobb also had a double and a single while driving in a La Conner tally.

Whited went one-for-two with a run scored and an RBI.

Hasenbalg scored three runs and filled in nicely at third base with two putouts and an assist.

La Conner rounded out a busy slate with a 14-5 setback on Monday to Concrete. But like the Lady Braves’ previous two wins over league rivals, the loss to Concrete doesn’t count in NW2B standings.

For the first time in a week, La Conner’s bats went quiet.

“We didn’t hit very well and Concrete did,” Seeling said. “We had a few players in new positions, and they didn’t settle in very well. Fotunately, this was a non-league game.”

Tripp managed two hits and an RBI against Lady Lion pitching. Haley Hakenson, T’Kayah Edwards, and Casey lined singles for La Conner.

“Overall,” said Seeling, “it was a good week for us with three wins over two league opponents. The team played really hard and, for the most part, stayed focused.”

The focus going forward, she added, will be on improved base running and with cutting down errors.

“While we have some things to work on,” Seeling said, “we have to be proud of where we are at this point of the season.”

La Conner, 3-2 overall and 1-0 in league play, is idle until an April 12 NW2B date at Friday Harbor.