Washington beats Stevens in South Dakota state softball quarterfinals
Article excerpt
Sioux Falls Washington exploded early, scoring eight unanswered runs to set the tone for a commanding 10-3 victory over Rapid City Stevens in South Dakota's Class AA state softball quarterfinals. The Eagles' dominant start proved decisive, carrying them through the remainder of the game to advance in the tournament. Stevens managed three runs but couldn't overcome the deficit created by Washington's opening barrage.
Maddy Mescher crushed a two-run home run in the first inning and No. 3 Sioux Falls Washington opened up an 8-0 lead through five on the way to a 10-3 win over Rapid City Stevens in the Class AA state quarterfinals.
Washington will play No. 2 Harrisburg for the third time this season in the state semifinals at 4 p.m. Friday, June 5.
Mescher's home run jump started a Warrior offense that scored in four of six innings. Natalie Thompson also doubled home Josie Biteler later in the first.
"We've been hitting hitting hard all week, so the swing felt good," Mescher said. "I hunted my pitch and it went over."
Aubrey Chavez singled and scored on an error in the third to make it 4-0 Washington.
Biteler unloaded the bases in the fifth with a three-run triple to make it a 7-0 game, then she scored on a Thompson groundout. The triple was a ground ball down the third-base line that scooted into the corner, and the Warriors' center fielder made her way to third.
"You've just got to sit on your pitch and not do too much," Biteler said. "See ball, hit ball, keep it simple. Things will happen."
Washington's final runs came on Kjerstin Kyte and Chavez RBI groundouts in the sixth.
Head coach Kim Bazata was thrilled to see her team pick apart Stevens' pitching, especially with it being a big game. The offense has come up short in a few big spots in 2026, but that wasn't the case Thursday.
"We did it from the top of the lineup to the bottom of the lineup, which is nice too," Bazata said. "We know that if we're going to go the distance this year we need the bats coming around for us, so we've been working really hard on making adjustments and timing things up."
Mescher spun five scoreless innings, then the Raiders began making a move in the sixth and seventh. Stevens loaded the bases in both innings, but Mescher had plenty of wiggle room at that point. Bazata made a few mound visits to give her pitcher a chance to relax and settle down again.
"They were coming up their third and fourth time through the order, so it was huge we had those runs and Maddy could relax a little out there," Bazata said.
The standout junior ended her day allowing three runs, two earned, on 11 hits and a walk with just two strikeouts. It wasn't as dominant a showing as she's used to, but Mescher still recorded 21 outs and pushed the Warriors to the state semifinals.
"I don't care how she gets us outs, I just want her to get us outs," Bazata said. "She did a great job of doing that."
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Washington beats RC Stevens in SDHSAA softball state quarterfinal