Nannies headed to District 5/6 playoffs in Kittitas

Pateros girls wins both ends of softball doubleheader

Pateros junior Ashlyn Gonzalez, (4) right, races to beat a throw to home plate during the second game of a doubleheader against Manson on Tuesday, April 24.

Manson’s catcher is unable to control the ball seen suspended near Gonzalez as she slides at the plate.

Gonzalez scores one of the Nannies’ 16 runs against Manson

Pitcher Vanessa Ceniceros winds up for a release to a Manson batter.

Pateros junior Andrea Baird (2) rounds third base on the way to home plate with an inside-the-park home run.

Pateros shortstop Aleeka Smith reaches for the ball while covering second base as a Lady Shocker heads toward the bag.

Vanessa Ceniceros gets a good swing at the ball.

Posted Thursday, May 3, 2018 10:08 am

Mike Maltais

PATEROS – The Nannies varsity softball team wrapped up its regular season with a pair of doubleheaders against Manson and Waterville-Mansfield last week, handing the Lady Trojans a pair of losses, 14-13, and 16-1, in suffering the same treatment in turn from the Lady Shockers, 14-8, and 13-12.
Head coach John Slater liked the way his team played during their last two regular season stands. The battle against the Lady Shockers was decided by a single run in game two.
“It came down to a little mistake,” said Slater of the 13-12 defeat. “We had them down almost the entire game, but we just ran out of innings.”
The Nannies honed their game against some tough competitions in the Central Washington 2B league this season including No. 1 Brewster, 14-1, No. 2 Liberty Bell, 11-4, No. 3 Lake Roosevelt, 11-4, No. 4 Tonasket, 10-5, and No. 5 Waterville-Mansfield, 9-6. With only two seniors on the squad and a host of larger schools on the regular season schedule, the Nannies now face a 1B rival that will require them to be ready for the big time.
The Nannies first opponent at Kittitas High School on Wednesday, May 2, in District 5/6 1B play is Sunnyside Christian. The Lady Knights posted a 16-2 win-loss record and stand in first place in the 1B Greater Columbia Gorge league.
“We have to bring our ‘A’ game,” admitted Slater who acknowledged that the Lady Knights will bring out the best in his team.
If the Nannies prevail in the loser-out game against Sunnyside Christian, their next stop will be a District 7 contest at Kettle Falls on Saturday, May 5.