The softball teams from East and South claimed victories in the winner's bracket Wednesday in the Cook Inlet Conference tournament at Albrecht Field, setting up a Thursday night showdown that will send the winner straight to the championship game.
East blanked Chugiak 12-0 and South edged West 5-3. East and South will play at 7:45 p.m. on Thursday, with the winner moving into a Friday night championship game and the loser dropping into the loser's bracket. Whoever emerges from the loser's bracket will also play in Friday's championship, and if its wins, there will be a Saturday morning if-necessary game.
In East's win over Chugiak, Dymond Fields and Sierra Rosenzweig each drove in two runs in support of Daisy Page's shutout.
Page gave up one hit and struck out four in the four-inning game. Rosenzweig was 3 for 4 with a triple and Fields was 2 for 3.
In South's win, the Wolverines survived 11 strikeouts by West ace Lauren Syrup to win in seven innings.
Tristan Tolan and Dakota Underwood each went 2 for 4 and each drove in a run in South's four-run fifth inning, which gave the Wolverines a 5-0 lead. Rachel White got the complete-game win, striking out five.
West battled back with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and another in the sixth, when Ashton Jessee hit an RBI double. But the Eagles hurt themselves by leaving 13 runners on base.
In losers' bracket action Wednesday, Dimond and Service shut out their opponents to stay alive.
Dimond took a 14-0 win over Bartlett in a game that ended after three innings due to the mercy rule. Dimond's Hailey Shangin ripped a three-run homer and finished with three hits and four RBIs.
Service also won a game shortened by the mercy rule, blanking Eagle River 15-0. Service's Kamry Frisk drove in four runs with a two-run homer and a two-run double.
The tournament began Tuesday, with first-round victories going to East, South, West and Chugiak.
Page pitched a perfect game and struck out seven to spark East to an 18-0 victory over Eagle River. Rosenzweig scored three times and drove in three runs while going 3 for 3 -- single, double, triple.
West used Becca Syrup's no-hitter and six strikeouts to handle Bartlett 15-0. Syrup also went 3 for 3 and drove in two runs, and Jessee went 3 for 3 with three RBIs.
South knocked off Dimond 17-9 behind three RBIs from Tolan, who went 3 for 4 and delivered a solo home run. Leilani Blair went 3 for 4 and drove in two runs, Underwood went 2 for 3, McKenzie Smith went 3 for 4 and White 2 for 4.
Chugiak beat Service 11-3.