TONASKET – Tonasket’s fastpitch softball team improved to 4-0 in a solid first week under first-year coach Emily Rimestad.

The schedule gets a lot tougher from here on as Caribou Trail League play started for the Tigers on Tuesday with a home game against defending league champion Cascade, but Rimestad said she and the team were looking forward to the challenge.

“I feel good about where we are,” she said. “We feel like we’re going to be competitive. The girls are playing well together and building confidence as we go.”

The Tigers ran up 38 runs on Saturday, March 24, sweeping Republic in a non-league doubleheader 19-4 and 19-5.

An 11-run first inning in the opener got Tonasket off and running from the get-go, and Rylee Fewkes pitched her way to a complete-game, five-inning win.

“Rylee really got into a groove and threw some good pitches,” Rimestad said.

Jessica Maier led the hit parade, while the Tigers racked up eight steals as a team.

In the second game, Tonasket scored at least two runs in every inning, including eight runs in the third, in support of winning pitcher Sadie Long.

Tonasket travels to Chelan on Saturday, March 31, for their first CTL doubleheader.

Manson 19, Oroville 18

MANSON – Injuries left the Oroville softball team playing shorthanded late in Saturday’s non-conference game at Manson, and the Trojans scored two late runs to down the Hornets 19-18.

“An injury to our pitcher limited the team to eight players,” said Oroville coach Dane Forrester. “They scored two runs in the seventh inning.

“The team did well fighting against injury and playing with small numbers. We hope to grow as a team and continue growing throughout the season.”

The Hornets scored five runs in the first inning as Justyce Olson ripped a double and Heather Galvan had three steals.

Rochelle Nutt, Jessica Hutsell and Olson each had hits in a three-run third. Hutsell, Olson, Galvan and Jasmine Nutt each had hits in a big fourth inning for the Hornets.

Oroville (0-2) is off until playing a Central Washington League doubleheader at Brewster on April 7.

Tonasket 13, Oroville 3

TONASKET – Tonasket scored early and often on the way to a 13-3 victory over Oroville on Thursday, March 24.

Long pitched five innings for the complete-game victory for the Tigers.

“She did a nice job and kept her head right in the game,” Rimestad said of Long. “The girls are really getting into the game and anticipating things. They’re playing well together.”

A seven-run first inning put the Hornets into a hole from which they never recovered.

For the Hornets, Tori King and Rochelle Nutt had hits, Justyce Olson had an RBI, King had five stolen bases and Breanna Dodd stole three bases.

Tonasket 15, Liberty Bell 13

TONASKET – The Tigers overcame a 12-4 deficit with an 11-run, two-out rally in the fourth inning to edge Liberty Bell 15-13 in the season-opener for both teams.

“It was kind of a mind-blowing game,” Rimestad said. “Once the girls started clicking, it was really great.”

Rimestad said Jessica Maier started the game-winning rally with a double.

Rylee Fewkes earned the victory in the pitching circle for the Tigers.

Liberty Bell was a 2B state tournament qualifier a year ago.