Sports
THE CLACKAMAS PRINT
May 31,1989 Page 17
Cougars blank Skagit Valley 3-0...
Clackamas wins NWAACC softball title
by Staci Beard
Staff Writer
It took only three games for
the Cougar softball team to claim
the NWAACC Championship in
Mt. Vernon, Washington during
Memorial Day weekend.
The championship game saw
a rematch between the Cougars
and Skagit Valley . In their last
meeting, Skagit won 5-2. But this
time Clackamas came to play with
revenge on their mind and won
the championship 3-0.
“When we played them the
first time they had the breaks going
loaded and only one out the were
unable to score any runs.
Some insurance runs were
added in the sixth. Ann Kerr led
off the inning with a single. Lisa
Williamson followed it up with a
single of her own. Kristi Northcutt
laid down a beautiful bunt and
beat it out at first while Kerr scored
and Williamson moved to third.
Patty Abell then laid down a sac­
rifice bunt that scored William­
son for the final run of the game.
“They tried around ten bunts
this game but our defense was just
outstanding every time they tried
would have had Heather McCorkle
pitch, but we had a two hour rest.
I always knew the McCorkle could
do the job if we needed her,”
explained Fiskum.
Their first round opponent
was Green River who earlier in
the day upset Wenatchee to stay
in the winners’ bracket. It was a
tight game that featured strong
pitching on both sides.
The fifth inning was first one
to see action with Green River
scoring first on two singles and a
stolen base.
Clackamas answered quickly
»
would have to hold off until Sun­
day.
“We didn’t have any prob­
lems keeping ourselves up and
ready with the long wait. They
only had one field that was play­
able and we got there early and
when the team saw the other game
going they were excited and ready
to go,” explained Fiskum.
The Cougars then faced
Spokane in the semifinals. Spokane
had been the NWAACC champi­
ons two years in a row. Earlier in
the year the Cougars had split with
Spokane breaking their 29 game
winning streak. The rematch saw
both confusion and suspense.
A scoring opportunity pre­
sented itself in the sixth inning
with bases loaded and one out but
confusion about a call resulted in
a freak double play.
Northcutt was going from third
to home when the ball caught.
Northcutt dove back to third and
the baseman tried for the force
out.
Abell was also diving for third
base. When the umpire called an
out he appeared to be looking at
Northcutt and she got up and left
the field. But the umpire said Abell
was the one out and he then called
Northcutt out for leaving the field.
Instead of letting the call de­
stroy them the team rebounded at
the bottom of the seventh and
behind 1-0.
Johnson got it started with a
triple. Madigan pushed in the first
run with a slap single to score and
a bad throw moved her to second.
Kerr then bunted and was safe on
first when Skagit’s pitcher tried to
get Tracy Wilburn (who was run­
ning for Madigan) going to third.
Molly Bremmer bunted safely to
load the bases with no outs. A
clutch single by Williamson scored
Wilburn to finish the game and
move into the championship game.
“We couldn’t have done it
without the contributions off our
bench. Wilburn didn’t get to play
a lot but when we needed a quick
runner she was ready. More than
once she scored the winning run
for us. Rogers also helped a lot.
She was one of our best burners.
All of the players contributed. They
had their heads in the game the
whole time so when they were
needed they were there,” stated
Fiskum.
Madigan, Johnson and Kerr
were noted for the play in the
tournament by being named to
the All Tournament team.
Others were selected for their
play during the whole season.
Named to the first team all con­
ference were Johnson, Northcutt
and Bremmer. Helvig and Kerr
were named to the second team.
JS|
Patti Abell pours it on and heads for home,
their way. They got a lot of runs on
bunts,” commented Coach Paul
Fiskum.
The Cougars got the ball roll­
ing early; with two outs in the first
inning LeAnna Helvig ripped a
single. Merry Ferguson was next
and kept the inning alive with
another single. Yvonne Johnson
was then walked to load the bases.
Dionne Madigan came up with a
clutch RBI single to score Helvig.
In the third inning Clacka­
mas had a prime opportunity to
push up the score. But with bases
Photo by Tim Zivney
it they got out. And this time the
breaks were even,” stated Fiskum.
Johnson pitched all three
tournament games but saved her
best for the championship game
with a two hit shutout. For her
efforts Johnson was named MVP
of the tournament.
“I wanted to pitch Johnson in
the Skagit game because they have
not seen her. She is in good enough
shape that pitching fourteen in­
nings was not going to affect her.
If we had lost to Spokane we would
have had to play right away and I
in the bottom of the fifth. Kerr
started off with triple. A squeeze
play was called and was executed
to perfection by Jill Rogers’ bunt
scoring Kerr. Abell then followed
up with a sacrifice bunt that scored
Jennifer McElroy (who was run­
ning for Rogers) to bring it to the
final score of 2-1.
A unscheduled rain storm then
interrupted the tournament all day
Saturday. Clackamas was stuck
waiting around in their hotel room
dressed for the game until 3 p.m.
when it was determined that they
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Ann Kerr rounds the bases.
Photo by Tim Zivney
Ferguson's play makes Cougars Merry
by Staci Beard
Staff Writer
A softball catcher’s job is a
tough one that requires a tough
person to excel at it. Clackamas
. has one such person.
Merry Ferguson may not look
the part, but when she gets behind
the plate she brings both a tough­
X
ness and intelligence.
“Merry is really, really intelli­
gent and is in tune with the bat­
ters. When I call a pitch, usually
she has already pick the same one
for the pitchers to throw. The
pitchers like to have her catching
and when the pitchers are confi­
dent in their catcher they throw
better,” stated Coach Paul Fiskum.
photo by Jillian Porter
Ferguson has been playing
Cougar catcher Merry Ferguson has played an important part in
softball since the age of seven. An
a very successful season. Her defensive and offensive play
older brother playing baseball was
helped the Cougars to win the Nortwest Championship.
»
how she got interested in sports,
“I liked athletics. I liked it a
lotso I havejust kept on playing,”
explained Ferguson.
The position of catcher is a
hard one and often a dirty one but
Ferguson began playing it her
freshman year at Madison High
School and has stuck with it.
Ferguson describes it as a chal­
lenge.
“You have to know what is
goingon at all times. Being able to
communicate ‘with the pitcher
during the games is also a impor­
tant aspect. You have like it a lot,”
commented Ferguson.
Ferguson put her skills to work
last year and was a second team
all-conference selection.
“Ferguson has a good arm.
She makes the baserunners con-
servative because she can make a
accurate throw and her teammates
are confident with her,” stated
Fiskum.
With the season coming to a
end Ferguson has found a few
things that she will enjoy remem­
bering.
“Playing against hard teams
and the challenge of trying to hold
the other team down. It was great
being able to catch for two good
pitchers and being able to call the
pitches. I liked striking people out
almost as much as the pitchers or
more,’’declares Ferguson.
Ferguson has no definite plans
about where she will be next year
but she is looking into maybe
playing softball at a four year
school.
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