Olympic junior Kaira Cabato sent out this tweet Monday night saying she verbally committed to play softball at Bethune Cookman University.

Proud to announce that I have verbally committed to Bethune Cookman University❤️⚾️ #hailwildcats @BCUsoftball pic.twitter.com/vBDPVhafla

— Kai🌸 (@kaira_cabato) December 6, 2016

The university is located in Daytona Beach, Florida.

The National Federation of State High School Associations approved four rules changes from the softball committee at its June meeting in Indianapolis.

Rule 3-2-15 states that all equipment must be inspected by the umpire and is to be put outside the dugout/bench prior to the start of games. The committee agreed that placing all equipment in one location at one time is a more efficient method for inspections.

In Rule 3-2-1, the committee added inclement weather as an exception to the uniform rule for state associations.

The committee also approved new language to Rule 3-2-7 to reinforce the solid color undergarments requirements.

“We felt if was important to standardize the colors of the undergarments not only to reinforce the solid color requirements similar to other NFHS sport rules, but also because it can be a distraction and create a possible safety concern,” said Sandy Search, NFHS director of sports and staff liaison for softball.

In Rule 3-6-7, which states players and substitutes cannot enter the game unreported. The penalty was revised to state the head coach is restricted to the dugout/bench for the remainder of the game only for a second violation.

The committee also revised Rule 1-5-2c by eliminating the description of the taper’s surface. The change brings the federation in line with other rules codes concerning the same issue.

This is a little late. Somehow it didn’t find its way online:

All-Olympic League 2A
MVP—Lauren Lunt, Port Angeles
Coach of the year—Randy Steinman, Port Angeles
Sportsmanship—North Mason
First team
Pitchers: Nizhoni Wheeler (PA), Mackenzie Bentz (Seq). Catchers: Adia Roberts (Oly), Emily Copeland (Seq). Infield: Jordan Bentz (Seq), Natalie Steinman (PA), Lexi Jones (King), Sage Scott (Oly), Kaira Cabato (Oly). Outfield: Sierra Robinson (PA), Allysen Montelius (Seq), Kiki Mitchell (Oly), Abby Wetzsteon (King). Util.: Jenna Friedrich (Oly).
Second team
Pitchers: Hope Wegener (PA), Dani Snyder (Oly). Catchers: Lamara Villiard (NK), Maddy Ferguson (Brem). Infield: Kaley Bartel (King), Kylee Reid (PA), Aslynn Fitsemons (King), Chloe Sparks (Seq), Erin Prouse (Oly). Outfield: Molly Knowlton (King), Jadin Left (NM), Lauren Valez (Oly), Nikaila Price (PA). Util.: Jordan Sullivan (NM).

Amber Bumbalough of Klahowya, and Statia Cermak and Angel Prewitt, both of South Kitsap, qualified to play in the Premier Girls Fastpitch (PGF) national tournament later this summer.
The trio plays for USA Explosion Gold 16U Farrington/Coleman out of Walla Walla. The Explosion won the Longmont, Colorado, qualifier over the weekend after finishing 4-0 in tournament play with wins over Prodigy Elite, 7-0, New Mexico Sundancers, 6-4, Las Vegas Rage 9-5 and Nor Cal Bandits 6-5 in the championship game.

The national tournament is July 31-August 6 in Huntington Beach, California.
The Explosion’s next tournament is the alley Invite June 18-19 in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Bainbridge’s Morgan Lassoff was named to the All-Metro League softball team.

Lassoff, a sophomore, was named as an outfielder.

Sophomore pitcher Sara Colley was named to the All-Mountain Division team and Maddie Loverich, a sophomore catcher, and Malia Peato, a freshman shortstop/pitcher were honorable mention.

All-Metro League

MVP — Gabby Wenn, West Seattle, sr.

Coach of the year — Rick Geving, Roosevelt

Team sportsmanship — Seattle Prep

Pitchers: Lauren King, Ballard, jr.; Kayla Ferguson, Roosevelt, jr. Catcher: Kaela Jackson, Garfield, sr. 1B: Emma Atkinson, West Seattle, sr. 2B: Maddie Iem, Eastside Catholic, jr.; SS: Lucy Mead, West Seattle, so. 3B: Harper Brown, Eastside Catholic, fr. OF: Sarah Buchanan, Seattle Prep, sr., Megan McAllister, Ballard, jr., Juliana Lynch, Holy Names, sr., Morgan Lassoff, Bainbridge, so. DH: Hannah Schubert, Ballard, sr.; Util.: Karina Diekema, Seattle Prep, sr.

All-Mountain

Pitchers: Katie Erikson, Seattle Prep, jr., Sara Colley, Bainbridge, so. Catcher: Sam Hemmert, West Seattle, sr. 1B: Madison Burmester, Seattle Prep, so. 2B: Morgan Cameron, Ballard, sr. SS: Caroline Sonnen, Eastside Catholic, jr. 3B: Taylor Danielson, Ballard, jr. OF: Brynn Snodgrass, West Seattle, jr., McKenzie Spires, Eastside Catholic, fr., Jessica Irvine, Holy Names, jr., Cammy Stukel, Seattle Prep, sr. DH: Abi Kirsten, Eastside Catholic, sr. Util.: Halina Tracey, Holy Names, jr.

Honorable mention

Bainbridge — Maddie Loverich, so., catcher; Malia Peato, fr., SS/P.

Central Kitsap’s standout pitcher Hope Lawrence was named the Narrows League 3A most valuable player while the Cougars had three players named to the first team.

CK softball coach Courtney Lacock was named the coach of the year. Lawrence will play at Shoreline Community College next season.

First baseman Elise Freund, who is headed to Pacific Lutheran University, senior Chance Barg and junior Madi Anderson were the first-team selections.

In Narrows 4A, South Kitsap third baseman Diavionne DeWalt was named to the first-team along with pitcher Ali Paulino.

All-League Softball

Narrows League 4A

MVP — Jordan Adams, Gig Harbor, jr.

Coach of the year — Lindsay Walton, Yelm

First team — Pitchers: Drea Schwaier, Yelm, so.; Brooklyn Taylor-Sparks, Timberline, jr. Catcher: Taylor Gubser, Yelm, fr. Middle inf.: Nicki Dehan, Yelm, sr.; Tessa Waage, Gig Harbor, sr.; Alyssa McKiernan, Bellarmine Prep, sr. Corner inf.: Abbie Hutton, GH, sr.; Diavionne DeWalt, South Kitsap, so. OF: Erin Roloff, Olympia, sr.; Ally Choate, Yelm, jr., Meg Sullivan, Bellarmine Prep, jr. Util.: Alexandra Kessler-Paulino, South Kitsap, jr.

Second team — Pitchers: Tayelyn Cutler, Yelm, fr.; Chelsea Smith, Bellarmine Prep, so.; Catcher: McKenzie Schwan, Bellarmine Prep, jr. Middle inf.: Mackinzee Moore, Yelm, fr.; Sophia Canton, South Kitsap, jr. Corner inf.: Haley McMasters, Bellarmine Prep, fr.; Alix Peffly, Timberline, fr.; Carley Nelson, Yelm, jr. OF: Emery Norwood, Stadium, jr.; Brooke Fesenbek, Olympia, so.; Makenzie Sylvester, Timberline, sr. Util.: Erica Grenlund, Bellarmine Prep, sr.

Honorable mention — Catchers: Bailey Werner, Gig Harbor, so.; Bailey Haddock, Timberline, fr. Middle inf.: Lauren Forseth, Gig Harbor, so.; Isabel Chapman, Stadium, sr. Corner inf.: Jaeden Els, Yelm, so.; Hailey Lasmanis, Olympia, jr. OF: Tess Parker, Gig Harbor, sr.; Angel Prewitt, South Kitsap, jr.; Alexis Gojovich, South Kitsap, so.; Maddie Potter, Gig Harbor, jr. Util.: Patricia Hultman, Stadium, sr.

Narrows League 3A

MVP — Hope Lawrence, Central Kitsap, sr.

Coach of they year — Courtney Lacock, Central Kitsap

First team — Pitcher: Natalie Albaugh, Shelton, fr. Catcher: Corey Lindsay, Shelton, sr. Middle inf.: Aaliyah Kautz, North Thurston, sr.; Marissa Adams, Central Kitsap, jr.; Loretta LaClair, Shelton, sr. Corner inf.: Ciarra Davis, North Thurston, sr.; Elise Freund, Central Kitsap, sr.; Kiana Turner, Wilson, jr. OF: Aurora Gouley, Shelton, sr.; Chance Barg, Central Kitsap, sr.; Madi Anderson, Central Kitsap, jr. Util.: Peyton Uznanski, Capital, so.

Second team — Pitcher: Maddy Lincoln, Capital, sr. Catcher: Zee Young, Central Kitsap, so.; Raynie Ehret, North Thurston, jr.; Middle inf.: Kathy Le, Foss, so.; Judy Soliai, Lincoln, so.; Corner inf.: Tera Geimer, North Thurston, so.; Matlyne Mecham, Shelton, jr. OF: Haley Julkenen, North Thurston, jr.; Sam Wallace, Central Kitsap, jr.; Alexis Groshong, Wilson, so.; Util.: Brittney Kincy, Capital, so.; Blanca Vielma, Foss, jr.

Honorable mention — Pitchers: Kately Kass, Wilson, jr.; Isabel Pfingston, Mt. Tahoma, fr. Catchers: Hallie Bader, Foss, sr.; Taytum Pesek, Wilson, so. Middle inf.: Keiamae Sagapolu, Lincoln, so.; Delaney Kennedy, Capital, fr.; Alyssa Jordenson, Shelton, so.; Alann Bates-Carector, Mt. Tahoma, sr. OF: Rachel Wofford, Capital, sr.; Kylee Freese, North Thurston, fr.; Masie Vollendorff, North Thurston, so.; Hallee Garrick, Shelton, jr.; Util.: Victoria Nuon, Lincoln, jr.; Cassidy Garchow, Central Kitsap, jr.

The Spartans, making their 10th consecutive appearance at the state tournament, will play Meadowdale at 9 a.m. at the Regional Athletic Center in Lacey.

You can see the whole bracket here.

The Class 3A/2A/1A West Central District softball tournaments at Sprinker Fields in Spanaway have been postponed until Monday due to rain.

The Class 4A West Central District tourney at Kent Service Club Ballfields was also postponed, but that tournament is slated to resume Sunday. South Kitsap, which survived after beating Olympia 15-5 in a loser-out game on Friday, will play Tahoma Sunday at 11 a.m. If SK wins, the Wolves will play a winner-to-state, loser-out game at 2 p.m. A coin flip would decide the fifth/sixth seeds.

Tournament officials at the 3A/2A/1A spoke with coaches at about 8:30 Saturday morning to inform them games would be played Sunday with an hour later start time. However, that was changed hours later when it appeared the weather will not cooperate Sunday. The forecast for Monday in Spanaway is for clouds with only a 20 percent chance of rain and a high of 63 degrees.

Games that will be played are elimination games only. Teams that have already secured state berths are now seeded into their respective state tournaments. In 2A, Port Angeles is the second seed.

All Kitsap teams are facing elimination. Central Kitsap plays Capital in 3A at 11 a.m. If the Cougars win they would play at 1 p.m. in another loser-out game and then 3 p.m. for the fifth-seed/loser out. Seeded teams are No. 1 Enumclaw, No. 2 Columbia River, No. 3 Auburn Mountainview and No. 4 Prairie.

In 2A, Olympic plays at 11 a.m. against Orting while North Kitsap and Kingston play at 1 p.m. Sequim also plays at 11 a.m. against Steilacoom. Winning teams advance to a winner-to-state, loser-out games at 3 p.m.  A coin flip will determine the fifth/sixth seeds. Seeded teams are No. 1 Fife, No. 2 PA, No. 3 White River, No. 4 Forest Ridge/Bear Creek.

In 1A, Klahowya plays Chimacum at 1 p.m. in a winner-to-state, loser-out game for the No. 3 seed. Seattle Christian is the No. 1 seed, followed by Bellevue Christian at No. 2.

The WCD has updated brackets for 3A, 2A and 1A here.

The Bainbridge softball team qualified for state for the 10th straight year, beating Ballard 4-3 in nine innings Friday in the Class 3A SeaKing District tournament at the Southwest Athletic Complex in Seattle.

It took a big rally to make it. Bainbridge was down 3-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh. Maddie Loverich’s two-out, two-run triple tied the game.

Kari Perry’s two-out single scored the winning run in the ninth. Sara Colley went the distance, giving up just six hits.

Bainbridge (14-11) took the district’s fifth and final spot to state by beating a Ballard (18-8) team that finished second in the Metro League and swept them in the regular season.

Klahowya softball star Amber Bumbalough was named the WIAA 2A girls athlete of the week. She was 9-for-11 with a double, two homers and four triples in four games. She also struck out 14 batters pitching three games.

You can see other winners here.