After winning seven straight games, a 7-run inning ultimately snapped the Woodland Christian High School varsity softball team’s winning streak this week in Woodland.
The Cardinals (17-4) were defeated 8-1 by Colusa (22-5) on Wednesday evening at Tyson Miller Memorial Field. The non-league contest was a matchup of the only two high schools in California that hoisted football championships in December with unbeaten records.
“Definitely not the outcome that we were hoping for. We fought a close game with them last year and came out on top,” explained coach Christie Miller. “You got to give credit where credit is due. Their pitcher just kept us off balance and we just never caught up to her.”
Woodland Christian junior third baseman Adison Huiskens doubled to left field in the bottom of the first frame and advanced due to a passed ball. However, she was left stranded on third base.
“We didn’t come out as prepared as we could have been,” Huiskens said. “I think Chayse came in and really helped us. She only had one run against her, she came in a 7-0 game, so that was a positive. That’s probably the biggest thing for her as a freshman, that’s really big. We just didn’t do it at the plate today. All of us contributed in a way but not as good as we would like. This is probably the strongest team we’ve played. With a pitcher like that, you just have to be smarter and I think that’s what we can work on.”
The RedHawks scored 7 runs on 8 hits in the second inning. Colusa got on the scoreboard with a 3-run bomb to left field by junior first baseman Lia Ramirez. Then the RedHawks added 4 more runs with 6 consecutive hits to take a commanding 7-0 advantage.
“It’s tough when we don’t get to play that competition all season long and you’re back and forth,” Miller proclaimed. “Colusa has a different level of pitching than what we have seen for most of our season, there’s only been a couple of other pitchers who were up there with her. So it’s ultimately still good preparation for what we’re anticipating to see in the first round of playoffs.”
Huiskens ended the shutout by smashing a solo home run to right field in the fourth frame, her fifth homer of the year. Colusa junior outfielder Bella Badaluco blasted a solo shot to center in the top of the seventh to make the final score 8-1.
“Lately I’ve been changing my swing a little bit. I was behind in the count, she threw me an off-speed up and I just let it go,” Huiskens recalled. “I knew it off the bat. It was just like, whatever, don’t act like you do it all the time. Don’t look like you’re stupid. I mean, you don’t want to look too cocky out there, but it’s a good feeling, especially when you’re down that low and to get your teammates fired up. Unfortunately we just couldn’t get past that one.”
The Idaho State commit was familiar with the RedHawks’ starting pitcher, junior right-hander Ava Garcia, because they play travel ball together.
“She’s a great pitcher. I knew coming into it what she has, which is a great riseball. I had to lay off that, which I didn’t do too well,” Huiskens explained. “She got me out, I hit one off her, so it was a win-win day for both of us.”
Sophomore RHP Maggie Wurzel got the start in the circle. She pitched 1.0 frame and allowed 7 runs (5 earned), 5 hits and 1 walk with 1 strikeout on 49 pitches. Freshman RHP Chayse Anderson tossed the final 6.0 innings, giving up 6 hits, 3 walks and 1 run with 6 Ks on 100 pitches.
Two Cardinals seniors will be playing in the 47th Optimist All-Star Game at Folsom Lake College on June 4 at 4 p.m. LHP Emily Garcia and shortstop Macie Timothy will represent Woodland Christian. Second baseman Briana Parker will play for the Pioneer Patriots and first baseman Maddie Burkhart will suit up for the Woodland Wolves.
Lat night, the Cardinals concluded the regular season with an 11-6 home win against Rio Americano. Postseason brackets will be released Saturday afternoon.
“I think we’re ready,” Miller foreshadowed. “There’s always opportunities to continually prepare for it. This late in the season, if we’re not ready by now, then it’s not going to happen. The girls have put in the work and it’s time to just see the outcome on the field.”
Despite being a Division VII school in most sports, the Cardinals will continue to compete in D5 due to previous success. Woodland Christian won the D6 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championship in three straight seasons from 2018-22 after the playoffs were canceled for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We just got to go in there with the mindset to do what we normally do. We can’t overthink it, we can’t put too much pressure on ourselves. It’s just another game in my eyes,” Huiskens foretold. “A game is a game, whether that’s a playoff game, a state game or a freaking league game, it’s all the same. As long as we play the same way we have been and go in there, crush the ball, do our jobs and not make as many errors, we’ll come out on top.”
