The Run Machine: Storm Offense Explodes for 31 Runs in Saturday Sweep

PASCO, Wash. — If the NWAC Crossover Tournament is meant to be a measuring stick for the season, the Chemeketa Storm just proved they are a force of nature. On a high-octane Saturday at the Pasco Sports Complex, the Storm offense didn't just show up—it took over.

Between a five-inning demolition of Skagit Valley and a gritty, eight-run comeback against Douglas, Chemeketa plated 31 runs in a single day, moving through the tournament with a "never-out-of-it" swagger.

Game 1: The Skagit Slaughter

Final Score: Chemeketa 17, Skagit Valley 2 (5 Innings)

The morning matchup against the Skagit Valley Cardinals was less of a contest and more of a hitting clinic. After a scoreless first, the Storm blew the doors off with a nine-run second inning.

Jazmin Gallegos and Grace Walls were surgical, both turning in perfect 3-for-3 performances. Walls, in particular, lived in the gaps with two doubles, while Ava Woods drove in three runs to keep the line moving. On the rubber, Addison Bennett was the definition of "lights out." She tossed a complete five-inning game, fanning eight Cardinals and allowing only two earned runs.

• The Big Number: 9 runs in the 2nd inning.

• The Ace: Addison Bennett (W, 5.0 IP, 8 K).

• Perfect at the Plate: Jazmin Gallegos (3-3) and Grace Walls (3-3).

Game 2: The Douglas Drama

Final Score: Chemeketa 14, Douglas 10

While the first game was a sprint, the afternoon tilt against Douglas was a heavyweight prize fight. Chemeketa jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, but Douglas clawed back, eventually hanging 10 runs on the Storm and taking a four-run lead into the bottom of the sixth.

Then, the Storm broke. Again.

Chemeketa exploded for eight runs in the 6th inning, anchored by Layni Noonkester (3 RBI) and Ava Woods (3 RBI). Kylie Caraphina was a double machine, lacing two two-baggers and scoring three times. To seal the deal, the Storm went back to the well, bringing Addison Bennett in for two high-pressure scoreless innings of relief to shut the door on the Douglas comeback.

"There is no 'quit' in this dugout," one observer noted as the Storm turned a 10-6 deficit into a 14-10 victory in a matter of minutes.

By The Numbers: Saturday's Offensive Explosion

Statistical Spotlight

• Ava Woods: The most consistent threat of the day, Woods finished with 6 RBIs across the two games, proving to be the ultimate run-producer when the pressure was highest.

• Zellee Herman: Whether she was drawing walks (3 in Game 1) or lacing hits (2 in Game 2), her .833 on-base percentage for the day kept the Storm's offensive engine idling and ready to roar.

• Addison Bennett: Saturday was Bennett's world. Between her 8-K start and her ice-cold relief appearance, she threw 7.0 total innings, allowing zero unearned runs and proving herself as the Storm's defensive anchor.

With the bats currently operating at a "boiling point" and the pitching staff showing elite versatility, Chemeketa heads into the next phase of the crossover as the team nobody wants to see in the other dugout.

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