HS Softball: W.F. West Remains at the Top of the 2A EvCo after Big Win over Aberdeen

4/23/26

Two of the best teams in the 2A classification faced off for the second time this season, and the game was fireworks till the end. Both of these teams, hailing from the 2A EvCo, showed why they are to be feared, and the hitting was on full display the whole night. W.F. West at times seemed like they would walk away with an easy victory, but Aberdeen proved, inning after inning, why they are the defending state champions. Both teams put on one of their best performances of the year in an instant classic on the diamond.

WF West 15, Aberdeen 8

Aberdeen began the game with a one-out double from Britten Neal, but was left stranded after two straight strikeouts from Bearcat pitcher Taylor Tobin. Maysinn Jones would be on the bump for Aberdeen, but WF West would get right to work in their first offensive outing. Avery Osborn started things out with a walk, followed by Karlee Coleman, who would reach on an error. Gracie Elam would then hit a two-run RBI single to put the Bearcats on the board first. It wouldn’t take long before Allie Smitherman would add another run with an RBI single. WF West led 3-0 going into the second inning.

Aberdeen responded well, as Ally Adams reached base on an error and made her way to second base. The Bobcats cashed in with a run after an RBI single from Emelia Kohn for their first run of the game. WF West matched the fire once again, though Karly Rasmussen and Tanner Tobin would get back-to-back singles to lead off the second inning. Rayah Middleton would then get hit by a pitch to load the bases, which would turn into a run scored after an RBI single from Karlee Coleman.

The top of the third inning went quickly for Aberdeen, and the only hit was another double from Britten Neal, but Taylor Tobin would retire the side quickly after. Back on offense for the Bearcats, Brooklyn Spencer led off with a single, followed by Allie Smitherman reaching on an error. Kenley Fragner then laid down a bunt to advance the runners, and Karly Rasmussen would drive in a run on a fielder’s choice. Tanner Tobin would one-up her, though, with a two-run RBI single the next at bat. Avery Osbourn then walked, and Karlee Coleman would line drive a ball that would get past the outfielder and lead to a two-run RBI triple. WF West led 9-1 going into the fourth inning.

Aberdeen needed to get the bat going, being down eight runs, and the fourth inning would be a good start. Cheyanna Kohn led off with a double, which two quick outs would follow. However, Rylee Hendrickson would punch in another run with an RBI double that would ignite something within the bats of the Bobcats for the rest of the game. The Bearcats would be held scoreless in the fourth, which is the only inning in which they did not score.

Aberdeen once again would be up to bat, and Audrie Gaddis led off with a single, followed by a walk to Britten Neal and another single from Alyssa Yakovich to load the bases. Maysinn Jones would get the RBI with a sacrifice fly to add another run for Aberdeen as they tried to claw their way back into the game. Taylor Tobin would retire the side, though, and WF West would be up to bat once again. Rayah Middleton would lead off with a bunt in which she would beat out for a single. Middleton would be thrown out, however, but replaced on base by Gracie Elam, who would reach on an error. This culminated in an RBI from Brooklyn Spencer, who drove Elam in with a double.

The sixth inning was the biggest inning for both teams, and where things really started to heat up. Aberdeen trailed 10-3 and desperately needed runs to try to make a comeback. Emelia Kohn would get things started with a lead-off double followed by a single from Rylee Hendrickson. Madilyn Luce would then walk to load the bases before Britten Neal would get a single to score two runs. Alyssa Yakovich added more fuel to the fire with an RBI single of her own in the next at-bat. With two outs, Cheyanna Kohn, who led off the inning, would reach base on an error that would also score two runs and bring the game within two runs. WF West did not seem fazed on offense, however, and matched Aberdeen’s productivity in a very similar fashion. Kenley Fragner would lead off with a single, which she would score after an RBI single from Karly Rasmussen. Tanner Tobin would then deliver on another RBI single right after. Avery Osborn followed up with a single, and Karlee Coleman would get a sacrifice fly for another RBI. The biggest hit of the game, though, went to Gracie Elam, who, with two outs, launched a ball of her bat into left field for a home run that scored two. WF West took back a seven-run lead as the score went to 15-8

The Bearcats only need three outs to end the game, but Aberdeen was not going to make it easy. Emelia Kohn led things off with a single as the Bobcats looked for one more push. Rylee Hendrickson would get a single of her own right after, but Taylor Tobin did what needed to be done on the mound, and two quick outs followed that left runners stranded and won the game for WF West

MVP

The Thorbecks’ MVP of the game award went to Gracie Elum, who went 2-4 with 4 RBIs and a home run and reached base 4-5 times at the plate. She also scored the last run of the game that put the icing on the cake for the Bearcats. Many names for W.F. West could have had the MVP, and a lot of names to mention for Aberdeen as well, but Elam’s homerun put her over the edge in this one.