WVC Softball — York powers Knights to key sweep

PENDLETON, Ore. — If it's possible, Ranzy York just keeps getting better.

By Eric Gordon
World sports writer
Posted May 03, 2008

The Wenatchee Valley College softball team's ace hurler was on target in the circle and productive at the plate in a 6-3, 2-0 sweep of a tough Blue Mountain squad Friday in a Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges doubleheader.

"She plays with a lot of confidence," WVC coach Shelly Pflugrath said. "And whatever you ask her to do, she does."

York pitched all 14 innings of the two games, with a combined 15 strikeouts and just two walks.

She blew away the first three Blue Mountain batters of the first game swinging, then set down six more on strikes over the next six innings.

She helped her own cause with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate, driving in a run.

Also in the opener, Miranda Rosebrook went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

Rachael Glaspie added two hits, and Jocelyn Slack scored and drove in a run.

Surprisingly, Blue Mountain coach Tom Bequette saved ace pitcher Ashley Densmore for the nightcap, and she was tough. Densmore allowed WVC just three hits.

"I think he was kind of thinking he'd get a split, that he would get somebody else (for an opposing pitcher) and not knowing he was going to get York again," Pflugrath said.

But the three hits proved to be enough.

York supplied two of them, including a two-run homer in the fourth inning that accounted for all the game's scoring.

Laurel Wyatt had the other WVC hit.

The second win of the day for York was also her 20th of the season, just three off her own school-record set last year.

She has pitched WVC's last 28 innings of play, also including a huge doubleheader sweep of Walla Walla last weekend that put the Knights in first place in the NWAACC East.

Despite York's increased workload of late, Pflugrath said she's not concerned.

"She threw the final 12 games of the year for us last year and still won three games at the (NWAACC) tournament," Pflugrath said.

Even after WVC's impressive wins Friday afternoon, good news for the team just kept pouring in throughout the evening.

First, the Knights learned that Walla Walla and Spokane, tied for second in the East, split their double dip on Friday.

That puts WVC (21-4 division, 36-9 overall) a full two games ahead of both in the standings with four to play. (By the way, WVC is possibly just four games away from setting a school record for wins for a third-straight season with 40).

Then, the NWAACC polls were released, announcing the Knights are ranked No. 2 in the entire 27-team conference.