YREKA – After taking third place in the Cub Classic the prior weekend, the Etna Lady Lions were looking for more than a consolation prize at the Yreka tournament, last Friday and Saturday. Etna, however, wound up with a tough first round game against the host Yreka Lady Miners, followed by a game with Shasta Cascade League power house Fall River. The result was two losses and a match up with the Mt. Shasta Lady Bears in the consolation game.

Etna wasted no time in showing their offensive power in the top of the first inning. After the Lady Lions’ lead off batter struck out, Nicole Luiz singled. Number-three hitter Tracy Thackeray then picked up a three-bagger to drive in Luiz. Thackeray scored on a Chloe Papazian ground out to make it 2-0. Elli Pynes smashed the Lions second triple of the inning, and scored on a Paige Finely single, giving Etna a 3-0 lead. Although Mt. Shasta put two runners on base, they were unable to score in their half of the inning.

It was more of the same in the second inning, as Kacey Munson led off with a base hit. Munson stole second and then advanced to third on Ashley Parry’s infield hit. Munson scored, when Luiz doubled, making the score 4-0. Parry went to third on the play, and scored on a Thackeray ground out, to make the score 5-0. Luiz moved to third base, and scored on a passed ball, when Papazian struck out. Then, Pynes scorched her second triple of the game, and scored on a wild pitch, giving Etna a 7-0 lead. The Lady Bears again had runners on base in the second, but couldn’t score.

Etna failed to score in the third and fourth innings, but Mt. Shasta got on the board with a single run in the bottom of the third to make the score 7-1. Etna, appeared to have put the game out of reach in the top of the fifth inning, when they plastered nine runs on the board, including an inside the park home run by Parry, to lead by 15 runs, at 16-1. The Lady Bears did not roll over, however, and came back in furious fashion with eight runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth inning, to narrow the margin to seven runs, at 16-9. At that point the game had reached the two-hour time limit and Etna escaped with the win.

For the Lady Lions, Pynes went 4/4, with three runs, two triples, and a steal. Luiz was 4/5, with two runs, two RBI, a double, and a steal. Parry scored three runs, knocked in three runs, had a home run, two steals and went 3/4. Munson was 3/4, with three runs, an RBI, a double, and a steal. Finley went 3/4, with a run, two RBI, two doubles, and two steals. Shasta Hinkle was 1/2, with a run and an RBI.

Paige Finley got the start and the win, going four plus innings (8R, 7ER, 10H, 3BB, 2K). Ashley Page finished out the game for Etna (ER, 2H, K).

Etna lost its first round game to Yreka 7-3. Luiz went 4/4 with two steals. Parry was 1/2, with all three of Yreka’s runs, two walks, and two steals. Pynes, Thackeray, and Allie Taylor all went 1/3, and Taylor had a steal. Finley went the distance on the hill and wound up with the loss (8R, 5ER, 7H, 4BB, 7K).

The Lady Lions dropped their second round game to Fall River, 17-12. Luiz went 3/3, with three runs, three RBI, a dinger, and a walk. Thackeray was 2/4, with two runs, and an RBI. Finley and Papazian each went 1/2, with a run, two RBI, and a walk. Finley had a double. Brittney Potter was 1/3, with a run, an RBI, and a walk. Ashley Page pitched all six innings for Etna (17R, 16ER, 11H, 4BB, K, 2HB).

The Lady Lions are 8-4 this season and are scheduled to host Chiloquin on Monday, March 17, at 2:00 pm.