SPOKANE, Wash. — The Wenatchee Valley Knights stunned the top-ranked Douglas Royals with back-to-back convincing wins to claim the 2017 NWAC softball title today at the Dwight Merkel Sports Complex.

The Knights, who after losing to North Idaho in the second round Friday, won six consecutive elimination games in the one-loss side of the bracket to face the Royals for a shot at the title.

WVC jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two and a half innings before Douglas plated a score in the bottom half of the frame in the third to make it 5-1.

The Royals drove in another three runs in the sixth to make it 5-4, but WVC added another three of its own in the top to of the seventh to stretch the lead to 8-4, and took game one, 8-5.

Wenatchee Valley sophomore Ali Steen tallied a pair of home runs and added five RBI to spark the Knights offense, setting up the “if necessary” game.

The Knights wasted no time in the title tilt, scoring four runs, highlighted by a Jamie Wintrhow two-run double, in the top of the first inning to take a commanding lead.

Douglas got on the board in the second inning with a run to make it 4-1 before Wenatchee plated three runs in both the top of the third and fourth innings to push its advantage to 10-1.

Looking like the game was going to end on the eight run rule – Douglas collected a run in the bottom of the fourth and three more in the fifth to get back into the contest 10-5, but that was as close it would get as the Knights went on to win the title with a 12-6 triumph.

WVC ace Aaliyah Enriquez collected both wins for the Knights and was named the Tournament’s MVP. Michael Garoutte, in his first year as the Knight’s head coach, was named the Coach of the Year.

The title is Wenatchee Valley’s second and their third title appearance dating back to NWAC softball’s first season in 1980. The Knights last won under former head coach Shelly Pflugrath in the 2013 season.

The Walla Walla Warriors placed third and the Bellevue Bulldogs took fourth.

All-Tournament Team
MVP – Aaliyah Enriquez, Wenatchee Valley
Jamie Withrow, Wenatchee Valley
Jessica Lambert, Wenatchee Valley
Amber Writer, Wenatchee Valley
Ali Steen, Wenatchee Valley
Jordan Britten-Yung, Douglas
Daniella Vilio, Douglas
Keeley Ainge, Douglas
Cassa Courtney, Douglas
Dani Shotswell, Walla Walla
Rachell Collins, Walla Walla
Brandi Schoessler, Walla Walla 
Payton Gibbs, Bellevue 
Cierra Barkis, Bellevue

— Courtesy of NWAC

— Image courtesy of Rick Harrison