The visiting Kenai Central softball team started off its season with a 36-27 victory in six innings over Kodiak on Friday before getting rained out Saturday.
With only six Northern Lights Conference games determining which two of the league’s four teams get to go to state, though, Kenai coach Mark King is happy with the strong start.
“It was pretty crazy,” he said of the high score. “Both pitchers kind of had a hard time finding the plate.”
Cierra King picked up the win on the mound for the Kards, going all six innings and striking out seven. Coach King said Cierra was solid in the beginning and end of the game, but struggled with control in the middle innings.
But the Kards hit the ball well enough that it didn’t matter.
Leadoff hitter Patricia Catacutan was 3 for 3 with five walks, reaching base all eight times. King was 4 for 7 with two doubles and five RBIs, Darcy Blume was 3 for 5 with a double and five RBIs, Emily Koziczkowski was 3 for 6 with a double and five RBIs, and Alyssa Stanton was 3 for 3 with three RBIs.
“We had four errors that we made, or we could have ended the game earlier,” King said.
Soldotna 9, Palmer 6, 5 inn.
The visiting Stars opened up the season with a comeback victory in nonconference play.
Emily Jackson picked up the victory, going the distance while giving up three hits, striking out five, walking five and yielding just three earned runs.
“Emily Jackson pitched a great game,” Soldotna coach Kelli Knoebel said.
The Stars were down 5-4 after three innings, but received a huge boost in the third inning when first baseman Delaney Crosby-Schneider had a double play.
SoHi used that momentum to take the lead in the fourth inning for good.
Amber McDonald was 2 for 4 with a triple and two runs for the Stars, while Danielle Hills was 2 for 4 with three RBIs and a run, Meghan Ussing was 2 for 4 with three RBIs and a run, Crosby-Schneider was 1 for 1 with two walks, an RBI and a run, Macylea Elsey was 1 for 2 with two runs and an RBI, and Olivia Farrell was 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run.
