The Kodiak, Kenai and Soldotna softball teams all got through Thursday without a loss in the Northern Lights Conference tournament in Kodiak.
The Bears, the top seed and two-time defending champion, defeated No. 4 Palmer 24-12 to make the semifinals. Palmer had started the day with a victory over No. 5 Houston.
No. 3 Kenai made its way into the quarterfinals with an 18-10 victory over No. 6 Homer. No. 2 Soldotna made the quarters by topping No. 7 Redington 16-4.
Kenai and Soldotna will battle at 9 a.m. Friday for the right to face Kodiak in the 5 p.m. Friday semifinal.
Other squads will look to stay alive in the playback portion of the double-elimination bracket.
Homer and Redington play at 11 a.m. Friday, with the winner facing Palmer at 1 p.m. Friday. Also, Houston plays the Kenai-SoHi loser at 3 p.m. Friday.
Kenai 18, Homer 10
The Kardinals (16-13) trailed 7-4 entering the bottom of the fourth inning, but scored six in that frame to take the lead for good in the six-inning game.
Blakeley Jorgensen keyed Kenai’s offensive surge at the plate, hitting two home runs and a double in three at-bats, collecting three runs and six RBIs.
Also for the Kards, Kailey Stynsberg was 3 for 5 with two runs and an RBI and Avia Miller was 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI. Love Carter-Hendriks had three runs, Caitlyn Crapps had three runs, Avery Ellis had two runs and Isabel Thomas had two runs.
Lola McEwen pitched all six innings, giving up 10 runs — five earned — on six hits while walking eight and striking out five.
For the Mariners (6-19), Becca Trowbridge was 2 for 3 and Amakah Stineff was 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Also, Natalie Farren scored twice and Natalie Hinsberger scored twice.
Keagan Niebuhr worked the first four innings for Homer, giving up 10 runs — four earned — on six hits while walking five and striking out five. Trowbridge gave up eight runs — three earned — on four hits in 1 2-3 innings.
Soldotna 16, Redington 4
The Stars (21-6-1) took care of the Huskies in four innings.
Tatum Cooper pitched the first 3 2-3 innings, giving up four runs — three earned — on five hits while walking one and striking out three. Isabelle Cruz got the last out without incident.
Soldotna banged out 13 hits, including eight extra-base hits.
Cooper was 2 for 2 with three runs and two RBIs, Cruz was 2 for 3 with three runs and two RBIs, Alyssa McDonald was 2 for 4 with two runs and an RBI, Kacey Cunningham was 3 for 3 with two runs and three RBIs, and Aliya Blough was 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI.
Also, Isabella Gares and Izzy Jones each had two RBIs.
