Bellevue College softball ended one of their most memorable seasons by going 4-2 at the NWAC Championships held Friday May 20-Monday May 23. The four wins in the tourney before getting their second loss earned them third place overall in the conference. It was Head Coach Leah Francis’ best finish ever as the team also ended the season as the top-ranked team according to the NWAC Coaches’ Poll.
Bellevue opened up tourney play on Friday May 20 with a dramatic come-from-behind win over 16th-seeded Olympic College. In a game that appeared to be one of the biggest upsets in tournament history, the Bulldogs did not let that happen as they put across nie runs in the bottom of the sixth inning for the win. A pair of freshmen, Cierra Barkis and Brianna Attwood led BC offensively. Barkis had three hits while Attwood had four RBI’s.
In game two on Friday’s opening day, Bellevue topped Columbia Basin 12-5 to run their tourney record to 2-0. Bellevue was in control for much of the game and was paced by home runs by Barkis, Tessani Dixon, and Rayne Sylvester. Cierra Lockwood went the distance on the mound and gave up only three earned runs in the complete game.
On Saturday, in winner’s bracket play, Bellevue fell to Douglas, their North Region rival, 9-4. Douglas jumped out on top early, chasing Lockwood after collecting seven hits in just over two innings of the BC ace. Cassidy Mast and Dixon (her 20th) had home runs for Bellevue.
On Sunday, in loser-out play, Bellevue defeated Lower Columbia 12-4. In a game that was halted due to rain, the Bulldogs continued pouring on the offense. Attwood, the hot-hitting freshman at the tourney for Bellevue, was 4-for-4.
In another loser out game, in what was perhaps one of the best games of the entire tourney, top-ranked Bellevue took on third-ranked Clackamas. The ‘dogs were down 5-2 heading into the final inning until Payton Gibbs homered in a six-run inning to give Bellevue the win.
On Monday, in another game postponed from the day before, Bellevue squared off against Douglas once again. It would be the sixth meeting between the teams. Douglas again prevailed by a score of 8-6. In a see-saw game, the big blow was the four-run fourth for Douglas in which Bellevue made three costly errors. Bellevue would come back with two runs in the bottom of the frame but could not get any more off Douglas ace pitcher Keeley Ainge. Attwood homered again for Bellevue as did Rachel Delamare.
Bellevue closes out the 2016 season with an amazing 41-8 record.
Last Updated May 23, 2016
