YAKIMA — Eliza Barnum wouldn’t have believed it. Lauren Matlock and Eric Hopfer at least envisioned the possibility.
The question of if the offense was going to show up for the Pe Ell/Willapa Valley softball team wasn’t in doubt in six straight games prior to the Class 2B state tournament on Friday. Even in the District 4 title game loss to rival Raymond/South Bend, the bats showed up with 12 runs.
Quadruple that single game output over two games. And add one more for good measure.
The second-seeded Titans proceeded to blast No. 15 Colfax 21-11 in the Round of 16 and then ripped apart No. 10 River View 28-5 in the quarterfinals – both five-inning contests – to put them back into the state semifinals at the Gateway Sports Complex.
“You just never know what is going to happen,” PWV head coach Eric Hopfer said. “Don’t get antsy at the pitches you’re not going to hit well. We’re going a little deeper into counts and waiting for them to screw up.”
It's now over five times as the combined team of PWV, it sits as one of the last four teams with a shot at a state title. The last time was in 2022, a state title for PWV.
That unit was built around a high-powered offense that ended up as the runner-up out of the District 4 tournament.
Sound familiar?
“We can hit the ball,” junior outfielder and leadoff hitter Lauren Matlock stated.
The Titans (20-5) have given Barnum plenty of run support in the circle. Still, the right-hander hasn’t been steady-eddy this postseason.
She battled through 12 walks in the district title setback and versus an upset-minded Colfax group, she walked five batters. Their defense had three errors in the opening game that left Barnum with five unearned runs.
The junior never let the adversity derail her confidence.
“A lot of the time I feel like I can pitch better, but I believe in my defense,” Barnum said.
Against the Panthers, Barnum settled in and fired 10 strikeouts. The five runs given up is the lowest since recording four straight shutouts over RSB (twice), Hoquiam and the district opener against Rainier.
“They all tell me I got it and it helps hearing it out loud,” Barnum said.
For a little bit, PWV was in a slight danger zone.
The Bulldogs came out as the aggressors with a three-spot in the top of the first and it added another run in the third. Come the bottom half of the third, the Titans dusted off the morning jitters and went to work.
Karli Phelps tied the game with a two-run double then three straight run-scoring hits gave PWV a 7-4 cushion. It piled on with seven more in the fourth and fifth innings, more than answering a seven-run fifth for Colfax that made it a three-run game again.
Sophia Milanowski ended the contest with a three-run home run, part of a four-hit day at the plate. CJ Sipp and Addison Merkel also notched four hits.
“Once we start, we don't stop,” Matlock said. “It feels really good.”
There was no danger versus River View thanks to nine runs apiece in the first two frames and PWV continued to add on. Of the 36 at-bats by the Titans, 23 were hits and they drew nine walks to just three strikeouts.
Matlock, Jillian Hodel and Tylar Keeton combined for 11 hits and 11 RBIs. Rilyn Channel drove in four runs and Cipp added another three hits and three runs driven in.
“The only way we’re going to hit is if we’re disciplined,” Hopfer said.
When Adna and PWV met in March, the latter was absent a handful of starters due to sickness. The result was a one-sided 19-5 win for the Pirates.
Now fully healthy, the Titans are ready for a more closely contested game.
“We know we can do it,” Matlock said.
