Sisters softball falls at state tournament

The Sisters Little League Junior All-Star team's goal of a State Championship ended with a one-run loss Monday to Brookings Harbor (District 8) in a loser's bracket game of the Oregon State Little League Championships being played in Portland.

The 3-2 loss eliminated the locals from All-Star competition. They finished State play with a record of one win and two losses.

Leading Sisters in the loss were Justine Bruguier with a pair of bunt singles, Jamie Simundson and Tiana Nieri with singles and Brittany Simundson with a double. All three of Brookings Harbor's runs were unearned.

Katie Bellew pitched four scoreless innings for Sisters.

Coaches Rusty Bellew and Tom Rowe knew they would need outstanding pitching to be a "competitor" at this year's Oregon State Little League Softball championships being held in Portland.

After two games, the locals were 1-1 and pitchers Katie Bellew and Harley Rowe had allowed only four hits.

"Pitching has been outstanding, as has our defense," said Bellew following Sunday night's 2-1 loss to Milton-Freewater. "Harley was throwing hard and Katie has been on a hot streak," said Bellew.

Milton-Freewater is the two-time defending state champions having won the title in 2007 and 2008.

"They really are a good team filled with good hitters and we were right there with them," Bellew said. "They had good pitching also. It was a well-played softball game."

Amanda Cain singled for Sisters' only other base hit. Katie Bellew pitched the first four and Rowe the last three. They combined for one walk, allowed three hits and struck out six.

Milton-Freewater had the bases loaded with no outs in the seventh inning, but a sharp grounder to third was fielded by Tiana Nieri, who threw to her catcher sister, Taylor, who threw to Simundson at first base for a critical double play.

"That was a big defensive play and we left the game with a lot of momentum," said Bellew.

Sunday's 2-1 win was very different from Sisters' opening round rout of Forest Grove when 16 base hits coupled with a hand full of opponent walks and errors led to a 28-0 victory. It was the most lopsided win of the season for Sisters, who stood at 21-4, entering Monday play.

Quincy Mate led the way with three base hits and scored four runs, Katie Bellew and Rowe struck out nine in five innings and allowed only one base hit. Sisters scored nine runs in the first inning and nine batters went to the plate in each of the first three innings. All totaled, each of the 12 players had a base hit in the Forest Grove win.