Portland, Ore - The Lower Columbia Red Devils captured their third consecutive NWAACC softball title with a 7-5 win in the bottom of the ninth inning.

The Devils got on the board first in the third inning when Kayla Vickaryous got to third base on a Camy Way single then stole home to make it a 1-0 ball game.

Mt Hood answered with two runs of their own in the top of the fourth when Bryttny Kreshka hit a RBI single to score Brittany Martin and Tasha Maier.

Lower Columbia loaded the bases in the fifth, but Mt Hood's Lauren Hadenfeld managed to escape disaster only giving one run on Carrie O'Neil's RBI single that scored Samantha Petrich.

LCC added another run in the sixth when Anna Owen nailed a double and Petrich followed up with a single to score Owen and give the Devils a 3-2 lead.

With only three outs remaining Mt Hood needed to put something together to stay alive and Kreshka answered the Saints faithful with a homer to knot the game 3-3 to send the game into extra innings.

The Saints again found the bats in the top of the ninth when Chanie Norbury singled then advanced to second on an error and Martin singled to score Norbury. Kristin Anderson then connected on a single to score Martin to give Mt Hood a 5-3 advantage.

Haley Ridout devastated the Mt Hood contingent in the bottom of the ninth when she blasted a walk-off grand slam to end the game 7-5.

The championship marks the tenth time the Red Devils have walked away with the crown and is the ninth in the last ten years. Tim Mackin was named the NWAACC Tournament Coach on the Year and All-American pitcher Carrie O'Neil was selected Tournament MVP.

Mackin's efforts throughout the season and tournament also earned him the NWAACC Softball Coach of the Year honor.

[view championship bracket]

Olympic takes Third Place
Mt Hood 4 Olympic 3
The Olympic Rangers took charge early on when Erika Quint scored on a RBI double by Natalie Pea Pea and Amy Renfrow scored on an error to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead in the top of the first.

Mt Hood answered in the bottom of the second when Brittani Martin scored on a RBI double by Tasha Maier to put the Saints within one.

The Saints unsuccessfully loaded the bases in the fourth but the Rangers ace Quint managed to work out of the bind.

Mt Hood broke the game wide open 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth when Kathy Cox scored on a double by Chanie Norbury and Martin nailed another double to score Norbury and Ashley Lokey.

Olympic mounted a last gasp attack in the seventh getting a pair of runners aboard, but All-American Lauren HadenFeld finally shut the door on the Rangers' season.

Walla Walla takes Fourth Place
Olympic 3 Walla Walla 1

The Walla Walla Warriors were the first to light up the scoreboard when Lisa Hender scored on a sacrifice bunt by Amanda Potter. An error on the play gave Hender the green light to take home for a 1-0 Warrior lead in the second inning.

Olympic's Amy Renfow nailed a RBI double to score Carolyn Edenboo in the third to knot the game one all.

Edenboo then reached first on an error in the fifth and scored on a sacrifice fly to give Olympic all they needed in a 3-1 win.