The Soldotna softball team dropped both of its pool play games Thursday at the Division II state softball tournament in Fairbanks.
The Stars fell 16-1 to Thunder Mountain in five innings and 24-12 to Delta in five innings.
The pool play games are used to seed Friday’s and Saturday’s double-elimination bracket, so the Stars get a fresh start today at 10 a.m. when they face Kodiak, which finished second in Pool B.
Soldotna head coach Kelli Knoebel said the day of pool play was a good way for the Stars to adjust to state. SoHi hasn’t been at the big event since 2017.
“They’re continuing to understand what it takes to be here,” Knoebel said. “They’re a young team and they continue to gain experience.”
Knoebel said the team also is adjusting to temperatures in the 70s.
“When we left Soldotna, it was 55 and sunny and that was hot,” Knoebel said.
In the opener against Thunder Mountain, the Falcons led 8-0 going to the bottom of the fourth inning, when SoHi got its lone run.
“We saw Thunder Mountain earlier in the year and we did a couple things better,” Knoebel said. “It was the newness of kids not being there. We had a little bit of jitters.”
Bella Gares and Kathryn DeBardelaben had the hits for Soldotna. Knoebel said catcher Tatum Cooper was named the player of the game.
Kiara Forkner pitched all five innings for SoHi, with Knoebel giving Forkner credit for being a great senior leader in the game. She gave up 10 runs — eight earned — on 10 hits. DeBardelaben yielded six runs on five hits without recording an out.
In the game against Delta, the Stars were behind 17-0 headed to the bottom of the second inning. At that point, Knoebel said the squad got over the jitters and scored 11 runs.
“Our bats got going and we put some pressure on them,” Knoebel said. “Their coach said he didn’t want to see us again.
“I’m proud of the fight we showed in the second game.”
Juliet Innes had two walks and scored a run in the second game, getting player of the game.
Cooper was 2 for 3 with a run and an RBI, while Isabelle Cruz was 1 for 3 with a run and two RBIs.
Forkner was 2 for 4 with two runs, DeBardelaben scored two runs, Kacey Cunningham was 2 for 2 with three RBIs, Aliya Blough was 2 for 3 with two runs and three RBIs, and Alyssa McDonald was 2 for 4 with a run and four RBIs.
Cruz went all five innings, giving up 24 runs — 21 earned — on 17 hits.
The Stars are very familiar with Kodiak. SoHi lost to the Bears twice to open the season, then went 1-2 against Kodiak in very close games at the Northern Lights Conference tournament last weekend.
“We lost twice and played two great teams,” Knoebel said of the first day of state. “The focus now is Kodiak.
“Tomorrow morning will be an NLC battle at state.”
