Bonney Lake Panthers Walk It Off in Thriller Over Yelm, Stay Undefeated

Maddie Speir - 2 for 4, Double, 1 RBI, 1 R

Meet the moment. In a matchup that felt like an early-season measuring stick, the Bonney Lake Panthers showed both power and poise Friday night, outlasting Yelm 5-4 in a walk-off win to remain unbeaten on the season.

From the opening inning, Bonney Lake set the tone.

Gigi Bell took the circle and came out dealing, working a quick 1-2-3 inning to start the game. When the Panthers stepped to the plate, they wasted no time backing her up. Audrina Lickey ripped a double off the center field wall to bring home Addi Hanel, who would finish the day 2-for-4 with two runs scored, and moments later, Yelm misplayed a ball that allowed Lickey to score. Just like that, Bonney Lake jumped out to a 2-0 lead.

Gigi Bell - 8.0 IP, 10 SO, 2 BB, 0 ER

Bell kept the pressure on in the second, “throwing straight gas” and collecting her third strikeout in another clean 1-2-3 inning. The right-hander was in command all night, finishing with 10 strikeouts over 8 innings, allowing just 4 hits and no earned runs.

But Yelm wouldn’t go quietly.

In the third, the Tornados found their rhythm and evened things up at 2-2, marking the first real test for a Panthers team that had dominated early opponents. Bonney Lake responded immediately. After Zhosi Poole reached and later came around to score, Maddie Speir delivered with a smooth RBI single to push the Panthers back in front. Speir would go on to finish 2-for-4 at the plate, continuing her strong presence in the middle of the lineup. Morgan Berg also added an RBI in the inning, helping Bonney Lake regain control at 4-2.

Audrina Lickey - 2 for 4, Double, 1 RBI, 1 R

From there, the game settled into a back-and-forth battle.

Yelm chipped away and eventually tied the game again at 4-4 in the later innings, forcing extras and setting up a dramatic finish. Despite the pressure, Bell continued to deal, mixing pitches and keeping Yelm off balance while working through 120 pitches (79 for strikes) on the night.

With the pressure rising and the game hanging in the balance, Bonney Lake delivered when it mattered most.

In the bottom of the eighth, Speir stepped in and came through once again, driving a clutch double that brought home the winning run and sent the Panthers into celebration with a 5-4 walk-off victory.

Morgan Berg - 1 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 R

A Statement Win

After opening the season with four convincing wins, Friday’s matchup presented something different, a tight, competitive game against a strong district opponent.

And Bonney Lake passed the test.

The Panthers showed they can jump early, respond to adversity, and close out a game when it matters most. Behind a complete-game effort from Bell and timely hitting throughout the lineup, Bonney Lake improved to 5-0 overall, proving they’re more than just explosive, they’re resilient.

Box Score

Batting

Player	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR	3B	2B	SB
Zhosi Pool	3	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Addison Hanel	4	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0
Audrina Lickey	4	1	1	1	0	0	0	1	0
Morgan Berg	4	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0
Maddie Speir	4	0	2	1	0	0	0	1	0
Anna Lovino	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Rylee Craig	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Liv Hochstedler	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Gigi Bell	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Pitching

Pitcher	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	W	SV
Gigi Bell	8.0	4	4	0	2	10	1	0

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