Astoria Softball Team Advances to Semifinals with Victory

The Astoria girls' softball team is becoming a familiar contender in the semi-finals, following a decisive 3-0 win over Marist Catholic last Friday. This victory not only propelled the Fishermen to the 4A girls state semifinals, but it also provided a memorable farewell for senior Kate Barendse in her last home game.

Competing at CMH Field, the team aimed to continue their title defense while ensuring Barendse and fellow senior Riley Davis could celebrate one final win in front of their home crowd. Barendse, a key player in Astoria’s playoff journey over the last three years, enjoyed the triumph alongside her parents and coaches after the game.

Despite being the higher-seeded team, Head Coach Kent Israel recognized the challenge presented by Marist Catholic, who had previously achieved a feat Astoria had not—defeating Scappoose. The Spartans showcased strong pitching, defense, and batting, making the state quarterfinal match a tough contest.

As the game unfolded, Fishermen pitcher Taryen Wray delivered an impressive performance, striking out nine batters and allowing just four hits across seven innings. The Fishermen managed to capitalize on their opportunities, with Lyla Carlson hitting a double that put them ahead 2-0 in the first inning, followed by a run scored by Finley Cameron in the fifth.

"The bottom of our order has been spectacular lately," noted Coach Israel. "We just got to keep swinging. That’s a good team; they threw strikes. We played our best defensive game all year." Barendse ended her home career on a high note with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate.

With this win, the Fishermen are set to face Scappoose again, a familiar opponent from the Cowapa league. Astoria will need to overcome Scappoose’s pitcher Saige Casey, who has proven challenging throughout the season. "The Scappoose game will be a crazy game," Israel remarked. "We just got to show up and play a good clean hard game." The much-anticipated match is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2.