Soldotna softball defeats Homer

The Soldotna softball team defeated Homer 17-5 in 3 1-2 innings on Monday in Northern Lights Conference softball action at the Soldotna Little League fields.

The Stars are 4-0 in the league and 8-3-1 overall, while the Mariners are 1-4 and 3-8.

Soldotna took command in the bottom of the first inning by scoring 10 runs and never looked back as Tatum Cooper turned in a solid effort pitching.

Cooper went four innings and gave up five runs on four hits, walking six and striking out two.

SoHi coach Carly Norvelle said catcher Kacey Cunningham also was a big part of the defensive effort.

Though the Stars did get 10 runs in the first inning, Homer coach Bill Bell said many of them were unearned.

Soldotna actually hit the ball harder as the game wore on, highlighted by a towering two-run home run to center field by junior Juliet Innes in the third inning. It was the first time Innes left the ballpark in her career.

“Juliet was kind of struggling,” Norvelle said. “She had two strikes on her, and I said, ‘Just move a little bit in the box.’

“Then she sent that home run. It’s just the little things, that’s all it is.”

Innes was 2 for 3 with two runs and three RBIs. Also with big days, Cooper was 3 for 4 with three runs and three RBIs, Kathryn DeBardelaben was 2 for 3 with three runs and two RBIs, and Lilly Dawley was 2 for 3 with two runs and three RBIs.

Also, Isabelle Cruz had two runs and two RBIs, Alyssa McDonald was 2 for 3 and Aliya Blough had two runs.

“They just passed the bat,” Norvelle said. “When one of them hits really well, the next one comes up with confidence.”

Bell said Keagan Niebuhr turned in a solid performance on the mound in going the distance, walking just two batters and striking out three.

“She’s been our work horse,” the coach said.

The other player to stand out was Piper Arno at third base. In the third inning, Cooper hit an absolute rocket that Arno snared for the out.

“That was smoking,” Bell said. “She’s even making the ground ball plays that should be fairly routine. She made those nicely.”

Ali Gall and Almalinda Norman each recorded a pair of hits for Homer.

Norvelle is a first-year coach for the Stars and a 2013 graduate of Kenai Central. She remembered being on the losing end to Bell as a player many times, so Monday was a nice change.

The umpires on the field also were the same from when Norvelle played at Kenai.

“It was cool to be out here with all of them,” she said. “I actually got a picture with all three of them.”

Norvelle said she has 26 in the program this season, including 12 on varsity. She said the program has a nice mix of age ranges, including four starting seniors.

In addition to trying to win varsity games, Norvelle has placed an emphasis on developing young players for the future.

“We’re learning and growing together,” she said. “When you give a kid an environment to excel in, they’re unstoppable. That’s my philosophy right there.”

In his 21st year as head coach, Bell has 18 in the program. Bell has a steady history of success. He has missed going to state just three times in his career, including in the past two years.

This year, Bell will have to groom a young team in chasing another state berth. He said the Mariners have three seniors and only a couple of juniors.

Bell said the team has been steadily progressing.

“I think that was one of the better games we’ve had in a while,” he said. “Up in the Valley last weekend, we were not awake for some of our games.”

Bell said the key for him is staying patient. Although the team has had 45 practices, everything has not yet been covered. When those situations arise in a game, it’s frustrating.

“Most of my frustration is thinking, ‘What have I done for seven weeks that I didn’t teach that?’” he said. “But they’re getting it.”