Bainbridge’s Erin Kinney and South Kitsap’s Alissa Buss had big seasons to help Linfield reach the NCAA Division III softball playoffs.
Kinney, a sophomore third baseman, earned first-team Northwest Conference honors after hitting a team-high .403 with a .441 on-base and .604 slugging percentages. Kinney hit four homers and drove in 30 runs for the Wildcats (31-12), who will play in a regional tournament on May 11-13.
Buss, a speedy shortstop, was a second-team NWC pick. Buss is hitting .392 with a .447 on-base and .445 slugging percentages. Buss has three doubles, three triples and had 15 RBI for Linfield, which won the NWC Tournament after finishing fourth in league play.
Also
Texas Tech: Lea Hopson (sr., Sequim/Southern Idaho) i shitting .326 with 11 home runs and a team-high 37 RBI for the Red Raiders (25-26).
Jamestown (N.D.) University: Emma Keller (fr., North Kitsap), a part-time starting outfielder, hit .329 with five doubles and a home run for the Jimmies (36-14), regular-season North Star Athletic Association champs. Backup second baseman Kalea Chapman (jr., Juneau, Alaska/Olympic College) hit .241 for the Jimmes, who lost in the finals of the conference tournament to Dickinson State and are waiting to see if they get an NAIA at-large tournament berth.
Pacific Lutheran: Makayla Bentz (fr., Sequim) appeared in nine games, all in relief. She was 1-1 with a 7.44 ERA in 16 innings.
Concordia (Portland, Oregon): Rylleigh Zbaraschuk (so., Sequim/Washington) hit .300 for Concordia (40-16). The outfielder started 20 games.
NWAC
Olympic College: Center fielder Sam Gorham (fr., Olympic) is hitting .494 for the Rangers (17-10) with 3 HR, 21 RBI, 18 BB and 10 stolen bases. … Outfielder Tiffani Ferrell (fr., Central Kitsap), a late addition, is hitting .474 with a home run, 11 RBI after seven games. …. Mariah Frazier (so., Port Angeles) is hitting .444 with 3 HRs, a team-high 24 RBI and has seven stolen bases. She also made the NWAC’s all-academic team. … Pitcher/outfielder Christina Bigelow (so., Olympic) is hitting .270 with a home run and is 8-4 with a 4.03 ERA in 78 innings pitched. … First baseman Miranda Holt (so., North Kitsap) has five HRs, three doubles, 17 RBI and is hitting .250 for the Rangers.
Edmonds: OF/3B Madison Wood (fr., Klahowya) is hitting .341 with five HRs and 29 RBI for the Tritons.
