PORTLAND, Ore. — Mt. Hood Community College defeated Douglas College, 7-2, to win its fifth Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) title in the last eight years on Monday afternoon.  

 Mt. Hood struck first in the second inning as Tiara Champ laced a two-out, two-run single to put the Saints (38-8) up 2-0. 

That was all tournament MVP Kayla Byers (21-3) would need. She went the distance, allowing two run, both unearned, on five hits with six strikeouts and two walks.

In the fourth, South Region MVP Darian Lindsey smashed a two-run home run to center, doubling the Saints’ lead to 4-0.

Byers would not allow a hit until deep into the third inning when a pair of infield singles allowed Douglas a runner in scoring position, but a quick out would get her out of the jam.

A solo home run from Megan Marcy in the fifth pushed the advantage to 5-0.

Douglas cut the lead to 5-2 with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings, courtesy of a two-out double by Daniella Vilio and a Mt. Hood error.

However, the Saints regained their five-run lead in the top of the seventh on back-to-back RBI singles from Reeghan Lehnert and Hailey Valitski.

Lenhart and Marcy finished 2-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored for the Saints. Champ, Valitski, Rachel Rutledge and Reeghan Lehnert each recorded two hits for Mt. hood.

The runner-up finish is Douglas’ second in the program’s six-year history. 

Head coach Meadow McWhorter was named the NWAC Softball Coach of the Year, her fifth honor. 

All-Tournament Team
MVP – Kayla Byers, Mt. Hood
Rachel Rutledge, Mt. Hood
Megan Marcy, Mt. Hood
Courtney Cabana, Mt. Hood
Darian Lindsey, Mt. Hood
Dallas Tilley, Douglas
Laura Baldry, Douglas
Jordan Britten-Yung, Douglas
Keeley Ainge, Douglas
Tess Dixon, Bellevue
Cassidy Mast, Bellevue
Rachael Delamare, Bellevue
Kylie Gonzales, Clackamas
Emily Marchbanks, Clackamas

— Courtesy of the NWAC