RICHLAND — The Royal Knights’ (20-9) season concluded Friday after suffering back-to-back losses to Montesano and College Place in the 1A state softball tournament. Despite the result, Head Coach Lisa Lawrence was proud of her team’s fight to the very end.

“The girls just never gave up, but we didn’t string it together to make it go our way,” she said. “But this team all season has just kept the energy up all the way through, and even in the last inning getting hits and base runners (they) just never gave up.”

Klahowya: 10-9

After a rocky start resulting in the Knights falling behind 0-3, they rallied in the third and fourth innings to take the lead with eight runs. However, the Eagles bounced back with four runs of their own to cut the deficit to one. After a run in the sixth inning provided some breathing room, Klahowya responded with two runs to force extra innings. After the Knights’ defense held strong in the top of the eighth, they managed to score a run to seal the win at 10-9.

Montesano: 20-4

The Knights started strong, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning behind Emerson Eilers and Aurora Santillan. However, Montesano responded with three runs in the bottom of the first.  From there, the Bulldogs held Royal scoreless for two straight innings and added 12 more runs to their lead to make it 15-2.

Royal fought hard through five innings, with Avarie Hill and Sarah Bergeson getting home, but Montesano added five more runs to seal the win 20-4 to advance to the semifinals.

College Place: 4-0

From there, the Knights moved into the consolation bracket, with a chance to compete for a third-place finish. In the first inning, both teams traded three outs before quickly advancing to the second inning.

College Place added a single run in the second and third innings to take a 2-0 lead early. While the Knights' defense continued to battle, including a scoreless fourth inning, College Place eventually added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to make it 4-0.

The Knights' offense, despite their best efforts, couldn’t get home and College Place held on through seven innings to advance.

Despite the results, Lawrence came away proud of what the Knights accomplished this season.

“This team has been really fun (to coach),” Lawrence said. “They’re just a bunch of great athletes all the way through, and (have) great attitudes, played as a team, just worked hard all season, and continued to improve all the way through, which I think was really a mark of the good team.”

Not only do the players get to experience the excitement of competing in the postseason against strong teams across the state, but they also gain invaluable experiences that can impact their daily lives, the coach said.

“We’re here for life lessons too, and to develop the girls as players, and I think these are lessons, win or lose, that you carry forward into life, and they’ve got good things ahead of them,” she said.

    The Knights’ Hali Christensen (14) throws the ball to first base after fielding a ground ball against Klahowya Thursday.
  

    Lizzie Jenks (13) steps up to bat for the Knights against Klahowya Thursday
  

    Sarah Bergeson (1) eyes the Montesano pitcher while at bat for the Royal Knights in the second round of the 1A state softball tournament.