Home Run Leads Dogs To State

PASCO -- It was almost a dare to senior Bulldog Nicole Lambert

Bulldog head coach Terry Robbins told his players not to focus too much on trying to get home runs in their game against Tekoa- Oakesdale-Rosalia, which they won 4-1 Friday.

After all, the outfield fence they would have to clear was 225 feet from home plate. He told the Lady Dogs they were not likely to hit that far.

But by the time Lambert had accumulated a full count with two outs and two bases loaded in the bottom of the third inning and all attention in the stands at the district tournament focused on her, a big hit is exactly what she had in mind.

"I was thinking that I couldn't get another strike, especially in front of all these people," Lambert said after the game sporting the tally on her cheek of what she was about to do next at that critical moment in the game. "I didn't want to leave anyone stranded."

On the next pitch, she swung exactly where the ball hit the sweet spot and she knew she had just pounded out a beauty.

"I didn't think it was a homer until I heard the crowd go wild," Lambert said. "That was the farthest I've ever hit it."

The hit brought in Sarah Phillips and pitcher Sam Harting. After Lambert rounded the bases at a leisurely pace, it also brought out the dugout swarming around the senior in celebration of a hit that won her team third in districts and a berth the state championship game in Yakima for the second year in a row.

"For a girl who sprained her ankle last night, this was a pretty good hit," Robbins joked. "That was definitely not something I was expecting. It was exactly what we needed to give us a little bump."

The home run put Dayton ahead, 3-0, and threw all the momentum behind the Lady Dogs and took the wind out of TOR's sails. The Nighthawks scored once in the top of the fourth inning, but never really got back in the game, allowing Jessica Tate to score once more in the bottom of the fourth. Dayton took a 4-1 and the third-place trophy.

"I'm really excited," junior Malia Frame said. "It's amazing they get to go two years in a row. This was our vision: to make it again this year."

Lambert's home run will probably go down in Dayton High School history as a highlight of highlights, but it wasn't the only one during the later Friday afternoon tournament game.

Harting pitched some impressive early innings with six strike outs.

"She's a great pitcher," Robbins said about the starter. "When you believe in your pitcher, you know she can pitch you out of it."

By the time the Nighthawks hitters had figured out how to connect to her throws, the hits they got were squared away by the Dayton defense. The Bulldogs had zero errors.

"TOR has a very good team," Robbins said. "But we've been hitting the ball well in the past four or five games. The girls came into this game with a lot of confidence. They came in with a business-type attitude and they took care of business."

Assistant coach Desirae Jones echoed Robbins' sentiment.

"For as big game as this was, they were very relaxed," Jones said.

Frame had a very strong game despite a foot injury, Robbins said. Third-base defender Colleen Delp showed her mettle when she anticipated a foul fly ball and catch for an out in the top of the fifth inning. Phillips and Tate fearlessly stole bases. Senior Shelby Smith was two-fortwo.

"Everybody did their job," Robbins said. "They can beat anyone they want if they play like they did today."

Following the trophy ceremony and pictures, the girls' focus quickly turned to state, where they will face Warden on Friday in the first round of the tournament.

Dayton vs TOR

4-1

TOR0001000

Day 003100X

TOR: Three hits, three errors Dayton: Six hits, zero errors Nicole Lambert 1/1 (home run); Shelby Smith 2/2; Jessica Tate 2/3