LYNDEN – After playing four full innings last week before the rain took over, the Lynden Christian Lyncs and Lynden Lions got together again on Wednesday afternoon to replay the game. This time the sun was shining, and it finally felt like spring fastpitch season.
For the first three innings, Lynden’s Breanna Swendt and LC’s Sam VanLoo were in complete control striking out a combined seven batters. The Lions then got on the board in the fourth. Alexis Fredin led off the inning with a base hit, then was moved over to 2nd base on a sacrifice bunt by Swendt. Riley Anderson then drove her home on a bloop single down the right field line to open the scoring. After both teams threatened more runs in the 5th, the game turned wild in the 6th.
LC’s Avery Dykstra led off the inning with a rocket to left field, leaving her with a lead off triple. Shanoah Wittern then singled Dykstra in to tie the game at one. After Wittern was thrown out trying to take third base on a sacrifice bunt, VanLoo then doubled, and scored on Tori Bajema’s RBI single to take a 2-1 lead.
Things stayed the same until the bottom of the 7th. After Lynden’s Megan Paoli doubled, Haley Saur dropped a great bunt down the third base line. The throw to first was high, allowing Paoli to come around to score the tying run and send the game into extra innings.
The Lyncs rallied in the 8th with a couple of infield base hits from VanLoo and Bajema, but a fly out to left field by Brittani Hornstra ended the threat. The Lions then loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning, thanks to a double by Anderson, a single by Lauren Groen, and then an intentional walk to Paoli. With two outs, bases full, and a 3-2 count, VanLoo caught Haley Saur looking to steal away the walk-off winner.
By rule, starting in the 9th inning, each team started with a runner on second base. Abi Jansma then hit a fly ball that was bobbled in right field, scoring the Lyncs runner to take a one run lead, setting up another ‘must score’ situation for the Lions in the bottom half of the inning.
Fredin led off with a single, setting up a “first and third with no outs” situation. Blakely Doerge hit a liner right back to VanLoo, who doubled off Fredin at 1st, then got Swendt to ground out to seal the victory over their cross town rivals.
VanLoo finished with eight strikeouts on the mound, while going 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and two singles. Dykstra finished 2-for-5 with a single and a triple, while Bajema and Wittern combined for three hits and two runs batted in.
Swendt also finished the game throwing eight strikeouts, while the Lions were led at the plate by Fredin, who reached base safely four times, and Olivia Wittenberg’s 2-for-4 afternoon.
Both teams will have to turn around quickly as Lynden (6-3) travels to visit Burlington-Edison (4-5) tomorrow afternoon, while Lynden Christian (11-0) will host Sedro Woolley (5-6).
-BLAKE WITMAN
WhatcomPreps.com
