Tigard Softball keeps undefeated streak alive with 2-0 win over Tualatin
When Tigard High School softball last played a game, they were finishing up their 2018-2019 season in a second-round playoff match against Wilsonville. After a canceled season stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, and over 690 days later, they got their chance once again and did not miss a beat.
As Tigard softball returned to the field, left-handed junior pitcher Makenna Reid threw a no-hitter against perennial state power and rival Tualatin in their fifth game of the season.
That win comes after a slew of others with unbeaten Tigard maintaining their top spot in the Three Rivers League (TRL).
Breaking into the spring sports season, the Tigers took a 9-2 win against Mountainside and followed it with a dominating 15 strikeout, no-hit, 15-0 shutout at Oregon City. To cap off their first week, Reid threw a one-hitter at home against Westview for a much closer 2-0 win.
The following Monday, their first taste of defeat came about, but a taste is all it was. Down by two coming into the bottom of the sixth inning, Tigard senior Katie Regalado hit an RBI single to tie up the game. And in the bottom of the seventh, sophomore catcher Karen Spadafora hit a walk-off double to seal the deal 3-2.
These four match-ups all led into Tigard’s rivalry clash in the Tualatin High School wolf den.
In the last five seasons played, Tualatin has won two state championships, finished second in the finals and secured a spot in the semifinals. Should last year’s season have played out, they were a favorite to make it to finals.
But after graduating seven seniors in 2020, only three varsity players returned from their 2018-2019 state championship finalist season. And when these two teams last met, Tigard came out on top twice in a row to break Tualatin’s 45 game winning streak. This year, the Tigers wanted no different.
“Well, since we beat them two times (two years ago), I knew we were going to win,” Reid said, “but that it was also going to be a team effort and coming into this I just wanted to throw hard and use my spins and everything like that.”
Starting from the top of the first inning, freshman Ella Dardis stepped up to bat for an immediate double, and with an RBI single from Spadafora, Dardis ran home for a 1-0 lead. The score remaining unchanged for the next three innings.
But, in the top of the fifth, Tigard infielder Kali Kisor bombed one over the left field fence in an unexpected home run for the junior. This provided the final margin of 2-0.
“I’ve been in a slump and that happened,” Kisor said. “So, I think it just shows that anything can happen.”
Statistically, Reid had her best performance of the season with 17 strikeouts, no hits and one walk.
Tualatin pitcher Camille Schmitz, on the other hand, had 12 strikeouts while allowing two runs, five hits and no walks.
The Tigers, after so long without any match-ups, resumed their play as if nothing had happened. Much of it is due to having seven players returning from the 2018-2019 spring season and the team remaining virtually unchanged from last year’s would-be season.
“When COVID hit, we didn’t have any practices, but into late summer we were practicing all up until now,” Reid said. “So, we got to learn everyone, and I feel like this year, there are a lot of juniors and two seniors and we all connect really well.”
“I think we’re just all really glad to be back,” Kisor said. “And I think this team works really well together as it’s pretty much the same girls from last year. We didn’t lose a lot of players.”
With the win, the Tigers improved to 5-0 on the season (3-0 TRL) and Tualatin fell to 3-2 (3-1 TRL). But even with a shortened season, many games still lie ahead.
To keep up to date with scores, please visit www.osaa.org/teams/40121.
