Friday softball: Kenai sweeps Palmer; SoHi’s Cooper hits 3 home runs in rout of Houston

The Kenai Central softball team swept Palmer in a Friday Northern Lights Conference doubleheader at Steve Shearer Memorial Ball Park in Kenai.

The Kardinals move to 8-2 in the conference and 15-11 overall.

Kenai won the first game 11-5 in seven innings and took the second game 14-2 in four innings.

The Kardinals honored eight seniors on the day — Kailey Stynsberg, Lola McEwen, Avery Ellis, Caitlyn Crapps, Avia Miller, Kaylauna Gump, Isabel Thomas and MacKenzie Fann.

McEwen and Ellis played a big role in the sweep, each going the distance.

“They throw strikes,” Kenai head coach John Crapps said. “That’s the name of the game, isn’t it?”

In the first game, McEwen gave up five runs — two earned — on eight hits while walking three and striking out six.

In the second game, Ellis gave up two runs on four hits in four innings. She walked five and struck out four.

The Kardinals backed their pitchers up with an improving defense. Kenai had four errors in the first game and three in the second game.

Coach Crapps said the defense is a constant work in progress.

“They had a couple of hiccups tonight, but they’re doing a lot better,” he said.

Palmer was missing two starting pitchers.

In the first game, Abby Paddock pitched six innings, giving up 11 runs — six earned — on 13 hits. In the second game, Palmer had to shuffle through pitchers to get through the game. The pitchers totaled 12 walks in four innings.

“He was struggling to get a pitcher that was throwing strikes,” Crapps said. “I know they switched three or four times.

“It’s frustrating when you’re coaching. Pitchers are so important.”

In the first game, Stynsberg was 4 for 5 with three runs and an RBI.

Also, Thomas was 2 for 4 with two runs, Crapps had three runs and two RBIs, Ellis was 2 for 4 with three RBIs, Seylor Tomrdle was 2 for 4 and Miller was 2 for 3.

For Palmer, Lizzy McQuillin was 2 for 4 with two runs, Paddock had three runs and Jane Meals was 2 for 2.

In the second game, Kenai’s Blakeley Jorgensen was 2 for 2 with two runs and three RBIs. Also, Kayani Whicker had two runs, Crapps had three runs, Stynsberg had two runs, Ellis had two runs, Miller had two RBIs and EmmaLee Elordi had two runs.

Soldotna 17, Houston 2

The Stars moved to 9-1 in the Northern Lights Conference and 18-6-1 overall behind a monstrous game Friday from Tatum Cooper at the Soldotna Little League fields.

Cooper hit three home runs in the three-inning game. It added up to a game where she went 4 for 4 with three runs and seven RBIs, totaling 13 bases.

The fireworks made life easy for Cooper on the mound. She went all three innings, giving up two unearned runs on a hit while walking one and striking out five.

Alyssa McDonald also had a home run for the Stars, finishing 2 for 2 with three runs and an RBI. Kacey Cunningham was 2 for 2 with two runs and four RBIs, while Aliya Blough was 2 for 3 with two runs and three RBIs.

Also, Izzy Jones and Lexi Wells scored twice.

Kodiak sweeps Homer

The visiting Kodiak softball team swept Homer in Northern Lights Conference play Friday. The Mariners fall to 1-9 in the league and 5-18 overall.

Homer lost the first game 11-2 in five innings.

Keagan Niebuhr went four innings for Homer, giving up 11 runs on 15 hits.

Amakah Stineff and Ali Gall had the hits in the game for the Mariners.

The second game, which was 18-0, went three innings. Becca Trowbridge went 2 1-3 innings, giving up 10 runs on three hits. Niebuhr finished up with eight runs on five hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Gall had the lone hit for Homer.