Eatonville Lady Cruisers season ends in district loss

The Eatonville Lady Cruisers’ season came to a close Friday with a 12-2 loss to Orting in the opening round of the district playoffs, ending a hard-fought campaign that saw them earn a postseason berth and finish fifth in the 2A SPSL with a 5-9 league record and 11-7 overall.

Eatonville battled from the first pitch, but early miscues and an aggressive Orting offense put the Cruisers in a hole they couldn’t climb out of. Orting jumped ahead in the bottom of the first after a walk, a dropped third strike, a base hit down the left field line, and a run-scoring groundout helped bring three runs across. The Cardinals added to their lead in the second inning with a string of productive outs and aggressive base running, including a steal of home.

Josie Lavergne started in the circle for the Cruisers and struck out six over four innings of work. The right-hander gave everything she had, allowing 12 runs — seven of them earned — on 13 hits while walking three. Eatonville’s defense was tested early as Orting ran wild on the base paths, swiping 13 total bases in the game.

Offensively, Eatonville put together some quality at-bats. Aubree Mills and Kaitlyn Kenney led the way with two hits apiece, continuing their strong presence at the plate. Lilah Chapman and Amy Tozier each delivered an RBI to get the Cruisers on the board. Though the lineup struggled to string together big innings against Orting’s starter — who allowed six hits and two runs over five innings without issuing a walk — Eatonville made the most of its opportunities and kept battling until the end.