After starting the season somewhat tumultuously, facing unforeseen changes on both its coaching staff and team roster, the Olympic College Lady Rangers softball team could have easily faded into another sub-.500 season.
Instead, the Lady Rangers are celebrating, taking third place last weekend at the Northwest Athletic Association of Community College’s 2008 Softball Championships at Portland, Ore.’s Delta Park East.
After beating Walla Walla 3-1 last Sunday, the Lady Rangers found themselves facing Mt. Hood for a shot at the NWAACC title. And while Mt. Hood earned that shot with a 4-2 win, OC’s third-place finish ties its best finish since 1983, when the squad placed fourth. OC was third in 1982 and won the league’s title tourney in 1981.
OC actually outhit Mt. Hood eight to seven in the third-place contest, with catcher Amy Renfrow (a Central Kitsap grad) and Megan Kreifels (a King’s West alum) slapping two hits apiece. North Kitsap grad Rachel Korsak was 1-for-3 with an RBI while South Kitsap alum Natalie Peapea was 1-2 with an RBI double.
In the win against Walla Walla, CK grad Erika Quint pitched a three-hitter, starting every game in the tourney en route to a 4-2 tourney record.
The second loss also came against Mt. Hood, as OC fell into the consolation side with a 2-0 loss Saturday. Quint struck out seven in the loss.
In taking third place, the Lady Rangers put the icing on the cake of a season that saw the team go 31-14 including the postseason.
The accolades came rolling in accordingly, with Quint earning the North Division’s Pitcher of the Year honors, finishing seventh in the NWAACC with a 1.57 ERA. Quint finished with a 16-7 record this season, recording two saves and striking out 173 batters, good for third overall. In contrast, she walked just 33.
Quint also helped her own cause in leading Oly with a .404 batting average, recording 38 hits in 94 at-bats. Quint hit three homers this year, driving in 15 runs while scoring 18 herself.
Fellow CK alum Karli Baumgartner was named to the North Division First Team after hitting .385 with 26 runs. She also was one of the toughest defensive infielders in the league.
Carolyn Edenbo, who made the division’s second team, wasn’t far behind, hitting .396 with 24 runs scored. Renfrow also locked up a spot on the second team, as was Peapea. Renfrow batted .303 this season while Peapea swung a .350 clip.
Baseball
While the season ended on a skid, OC’s 14-game turnaround from the 2007 season was reflected in the league awards, as OC placed two on the North Division all-league teams while tacking more on to the academic team.
OC outfielder Jared Munson earned first-team honors for OC after hitting .340, scoring 33 runs.
He was joined by second-teamer utility man Danny Hennings, who hit .354 and drove in 31 runs for the Rangers.
Pitcher Mike Miller, who pitched in 36-2/3 innings across 12 appearances, striking out 13 with a 7.36 ERA, earned all-academic honors with a 3.48 GPA.
