Fastpitch: Timberline Takes Over 1st Place in SSC With Home Win Over Yelm

4/23/24

Timberline 6, Yelm 2

(Lacey, WA) First place in the South Sound Conference 3A fastpitch standings was on the line on Tuesday afternoon as the Yelm Tornados traveled to take on the Timberline Blazers in the rematch from the teams’ matchup back in March. In that one, Timberline was able to earn the 7-2 win and handed Yelm their only league loss thus far in the season. Yelm would look to avenge that lone loss but would have to do it against standout pitcher Jasmyn Polanco and a very talented Timberline defense.

It wasn’t the best start for Polanco in the circle for Timberline. Elissa Dewees and Maddy Erickson both battled at the plate and drew back-to-back walks. Austin Hitchner would smoke a grounder over to third where Leilani Palacios knocked it down and stepped on third to cut down the lead runner for the first out. Caylee Roberts would follow with a hard line drive but it would be speared by Palacios at third for a second big play by the Blazer third baseman. Yelm would load the bases, but Polanco recorded the third out with her first strikeout of the game to escape the early jam and get the Blazers to the plate in a scoreless game.

Timberline put together some good threats themselves early in the game and they were able to take advantage. A bases loaded walk for Kayleese Dorfner drove in the first run of the game in the bottom of the 1st to give Timberline the 1-0 advantage. A pop up to pitcher Mallory Hoke would turn into a double play which helped Yelm escape the 1st with just one run allowed. In the 2nd, Timberline would extend their lead. Leilani Palacios walked and Lina McDaniel reached on a bunt single to put a couple of runners on with one out for the top of the order. Jasmyn Polanco loaded the bases with a single and Lily Covery followed with an RBI groundout to make it 2-0. Kassidy Jack came through with a two-out RBI single as well to make it 3-0 Blazers still early in the game.

Riley Smith entered the circle in a jam for Yelm in the bottom of the 4th, but escaped with no damage being done thanks to a nice double play started by Kamille Kautz at third. Trailing 4-0 after a wild pitch scored another run, Yelm put together a great threat in the top of the 6th. Austin Hitchner singled and with two outs Layah Hicks recorded her second hit as well to put runners on first and second for Kylie Minker. The Tornados right fielder smoked a grounder on the right side of the infield, but the ball hit the runner creating the third out of the inning and putting and immediate stop to the Yelm threat.

More insurance came for the Blazers in the home half of the 6th. Lina McDaniel walked to begin the inning and stole both second and third. On her steal of third, the throw would go into left field and she quickly got out of her slide and scored to make it 5-0. A walk to Jasmyn Polanco led to another RBI for Lily Covey. On a 2-1 pitch, Covey sent a liner down into the left field corner for a double and Polanco scored easily to make it 6-0. Walks for Kayleese Dorfner and Brookelyn Read loaded the bases with two outs for Hazel Abbott. The lefty roped a screaming line drive but a fantastic catch at second by Elissa Dewees got Yelm out of it and sent the game to the final inning.

Polanco recorded the first two outs quickly as the lineup turned over in the top of the 7th. Yelm would not go down without a fight as Elissa Dewees smoked a two-out triple to extend the game and bring Maddy Erickson to the plate. Down to her final strike, Erickson sent a fly ball to right center that got down and got all the way to the wall. Some confusion in the outfield for Timberline allowed Erickson to circle the bases for an inside-the-park home run and get Yelm on the board, trailing 6-2. Polanco would then slam the door on the comeback bid by getting Austin Hitchner to pop out to Kassidy Jack at shortstop to end the game and give Timberline the 6-2 win.

Our Thorbeckes MVP of the game went to Jasmyn Polanco of Timberline. The standout pitcher was tremendous once again in the circle, mixing in her fastball and change-up very well to keep the hitters off balance. After walking the first two batters of the game, Polanco didn’t allow another walk as she went seven innings, allowed just two runs on six hits with two walks and eight strikeouts and six of those strikeouts were looking. To add to her day, Polanco reached base in all four plate appearances with three walks and a single and scored three runs for the Blazers in their massive win.

With the win, Timberline moves to 10-1 and 7-1 in league play. The Blazers will be back in action on Thursday when they visit the Capital Cougars at 4pm. Yelm drops to 9-3 and 6-2 in SSC 3A play and will have the rest of the week off before hosting Capital on Monday at 3:30pm