The Soldotna and Kenai Central softball teams both had the best finishes in program history Saturday at the Division II state tournament in Anchorage.
The Stars, in their eighth appearance at state, finished second to best a third-place finish in 2010. The Kardinals, who had finished tied for fifth in their only previous appearance in 2023, finished third.
This came after Kenai thought its season was over after the Northern Lights Conference tourney, only to learn on the Sunday before state they were in because the Mid Alaska Conference couldn’t field a second team.
The teams were able to come up with the performances Saturday despite tough weather, which included rain and a driving wind.
Soldotna started the day by losing 14-12 to Sitka in the semifinals. At the same time, the Kardinals were defeating Ketchikan 14-11 to advance to the finals of the playback bracket.
The Stars defeated the Kards 18-10 in the final of the playback bracket to advance to the championship against Sitka.
The Wolves pulled out a 16-13 victory to defend their title.
Isabelle Cruz and Tatum Cooper made the all-tournament team for the Stars, while Kailey Stynsberg and Avia Miller earned the honor for Kenai.
The Kardinals also earned the sportsmanship award and the academic award.
Sitka 16, Soldotna 13
The Stars (27-11-1) went into the game having already played two games in the tough weather.
Isabelle Cruz had thrown a total of 244 in those first two games. To make things tougher, starting catcher Kacey Cunningham had taken a shot off the leg in the first game. She tried to continue, but didn’t.
That put Tatum Cooper at catcher, which meant she couldn’t pitch.
Cruz tried to pitch, going one-third of an inning and giving up four runs on a hit and four walks. She couldn’t continue pitching, but she did everything else to help the Stars win, going 4 for 4 with two home runs, a double, four runs and seven RBIs.
Katie DeBardelaben came in at pitcher and kept the Stars in it. DeBardelaben gave up 12 runs — nine earned — on seven hits in 6 1-3 innings.
The Stars took a 13-12 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but Alina Lebahn hit a three-run home run with two outs.
Cooper scored three runs for the Stars, while Isabella Gares was 3 for 5 with three runs, Alyssa McDonald was 3 for 5 with two RBIs and DeBardelaben was 3 for 4.
Soldotna 18, Kenai 10
The Stars topped the Kardinals in five innings to move into the final. Kenai finished 20-19, with an 0-7 record against Soldotna.
Isabelle Cruz pitched all five for SoHi, giving up 10 runs — four earned — on nine hits.
Tatum Cooper had two hits and three runs, Isabella Gares scored twice, Cruz had a home run, four runs and four RBIs, Alyssa McDonald was 2 for 3 with two runs and two RBIs, Katie DeBardelaben had two runs and two RBIs, Lilly Dawley had two runs, Juliet Innes had a grand slam, and Izzy Jones scored twice.
Kenai tried to keep up with the mashing Stars. Avery Ellis scored twice, Kailey Stynsberg was 2 for 3 with three runs, Blakeley Jorgensen was 2 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs, Seylor Tomrdle had three RBIs, Caitlyn Crapps was 3 for 4 with two RBIs and Lola McEwen scored twice.
Ellis pitched 2 1-3 innings and gave up seven runs — six earned — on three hits, while McEwen gave up five runs on four hits in one-third of an inning, and Jorgensen gave up six runs — one earned — on a hit in two innings.
Sitka 14, Soldotna 12
The two teams slugged back and forth in the semifinal.
Sitka scored six runs in the fifth and had an 11-8 lead after the inning, but the Stars came back with four in the sixth to take the lead.
In the top of the seventh, Chalice Brenton had a three-run home run to put the Wolves on top for good.
At the plate for SoHi, Tatum Cooper had two hits and two RBIs, Isabelle Cruz had two hits and two runs, Alyssa McDonald had two hits and three runs, Kacey Cunningham was 2 for 3, Katie DeBardelaben had two RBIs and Aliya Blough had two hits and two runs.
Cruz went the distance on the mound, giving up 14 runs — four earned — on 11 hits while walking three and striking out one.
Kenai 14, Ketchikan 11
The Kardinals were 0-2 against the Kings heading in to the game, but pulled off the victory to stay alive in the playback bracket. Kenai bolted to a 14-6 lead after four innings and held on.
Blakeley Jorgensen cracked two home runs for Kenai, finishing 2 for 4 with two runs and five RBIs. Also, Avery Ellis had two runs, Kailey Stynsberg had two hits, Kennah Gregory had two runs, Avia Miller had two runs, Aurora Cronk had two runs and two RBIs, and Lola McEwen had two hits and two runs.
In the circle, McEwen gave up three runs on two hits in one-third of an inning, Jorgensen gave up eight runs — two earned — on four hits in 5 1-3 innings, and Ellis pitched a scoreless 1 1-3 innings.
