ARLINGTON For a team that has fought through a number of close defeats this season, Arlington could have easily gotten discouraged and stopped competing.
On May 9 the team battled through another close game with Cascade and turned what could have been a disappointing ending into a huge momentum boost headed toward districts.
Christina Rayner took the mound for the home side and delivered a spectacular, shut-down performance. She also got a lot of help from her defense, particularly Vanessa Taylor and Andrea Summers, who both made critical plays to keep Arlington in the game. ##M:[more]$$
After making quick work of Cascade in the top half of the first, Rayner helped her own cause in the bottom half of the inning. Kristen Allen led off the Eagle half by being hit with a pitch in the shoulder. Sheena Twitchell walked and then Rayner singled to bring Allen home, staking Arlington to an early 1-0 lead.
In the top half of the second, Vanessa Taylor quite possibly saved the game for the Eagles. With only a one run lead, Rayner gave up a long drive to the left-centerfield gap. It reached the fence on the fly but instead of slowing down in the metal mesh, it caromed off a metal pole and bounced back into the outfield.
Taylor, after having chased the ball all the way to the fence, was forced to sprint in the opposite direction as Cascades batter raced around the basepaths. Taylor hustled over to the ball and fired a relay into Kristen Allen who turned and winged the ball home just as the runner passed third base. The ball beat the runner to the plate and catcher Sheena Twitchell snared it just as the runner realized she was beat. Twitchell chased her down the line, and using surprising speed, caught her almost immediately, saving the run and keeping Arlington in the lead.
Rayner settled in after that and struck out the next two batters to end the inning. In fact, neither team threatened again until the top half of the sixth inning.
In that half inning, Rayner conceded a lead off single, then got two outs before giving up a walk. With runners on first and second base and two outs, it was a crucial at-bat for the visitors. Rayner threw a breaking ball that was lined down the third base line, apparently headed toward the corner and possibly scoring both runs. But Andrea Summers reached out and plucked the drive out of the air, and with a large thud the sound of the ball in her glove deflated the Cascade excitement. Things got even more tense in the seventh inning.
In the seventh, Rayner hit the first Cascade batter with her fastball to lead off the inning. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second base, giving Cascade an opportunity to tie the game with a single. The next batter hit a hard ground ball to shorstop Allen who flipped it to third base as the runner on second broke down the basepath. The throw was easily ahead of the runner and it appeared thirdbaseman Summers applied the tag, but the field umpire ruled in favor of Cascade, giving them some hope of tying the game.
The game turned into a chess match as the runner on first stole second base, uncontested. Rayner then intentionally walked the next Cascade batter to give Arlington a force out at any base. But the next batter singled and brought home one run to tie the score. Rayner escaped the inning with no further damage, but the game looked as if it might be headed toward extra frames.
However, in the bottom half, Andrea Summers had different ideas. She singledly sharply up the middle to start the inning, and after a strikeout by Vanessa Taylor, Lisa Allen singled as well. With runners on first and second base and only one out things looked bright for the home side. But after another strikeout, it was on Kristen Allen to deliver the goods. She fought off a number of tough pitches before smacking a towering shot into left field. The ball got caught in the wind and confused the Cascade left fielder who first raced in, then had to backpedal to reach it. She nearly fell over backwards as the ball skidded off her mitt and onto the grass. Summers raced around third and scored easily to give Arlington the victory. The team that had lost so many heartbreakingly close games this season finally caught a big break.
Afterwards Allen talked about the teams success.
Im freakin excited right now. Our chances at districts are really good. Weve been playing a lot of 4A teams, but now that were on our level, we think well do really well.
Vanessa Taylor also looked forward to the coming week.
This is the best year weve had collectively. We showed some great intensity all season long.
Arlington now awaits its district playoff seeding announcement.

At M-PHS
MARYSVILLE Its been a solid building year for Arlington fastpitch and good things are on the horizon. Close defeats have added up this year, with Arlington losing five games by one run and a number of others by two runs. Occasionally theyve lost in extra innings as well.
In the May 8 game against Marysville, more of the same took place. Arlington surrendered a three run home run in the first inning and that was it for the home side. Arlington did get one run back in the third inning but could not get any closer as they lost 3-1.
Coach Danny Eng remains optimistic about his teams play.
We couldnt recover from the first inning. We played an error free game. The girls are playing hard and they are staying right with every team we face. We just need to find the little bit to take us over the top.
Right now Arlington remains the No. 4 seed headed into the district playoffs. They will head north to face the probable No. 1 seed from the Northwest Conference, Mt. Vernon.
Coach Eng looks forward to the challenge.
We are close. We have only been out of two games all season. Most of our losses have been by one or two runs. We have not been able to get to the next level yet, but on any given day, we have the ability to do it. With a strong defense and timely hitting, we can compete with anybody at districts.