April 9, 2025
ISSUE 15
50¢
IT'S IN THE CLASSIFIEDS
Hunting for a job? In the market for a new home? Have something to sell? Turn to the Classifieds in The Dispatch and at dispatchnews.com
Lady Cruisers drop two games at home By Skip Smith Contributing Writer
The Eatonville Lady Cruisers saw a pair of lategame rallies come up short last week, falling in backto-back home contests despite strong performances at the plate. On Wednesday, April 2, Eatonville hosted the Washington Patriots and appeared to be in control for much of the game. The Cruisers built an 11-7 lead heading into the final frame behind a steady offensive showing, but a dramatic late-inning surge by the Patriots flipped the script. Washington scored five unanswered runs in the top of the seventh to hand Eatonville a heartbreaking 12-11 loss. Aubree Mills led the Cruisers offensively, going 2-for-4 with a double and four RBIs. Lila Downey matched Mills with two hits of her own, including a double, and drove in three runs. Zoe Burns also chipped in with two hits as the Cruisers combined for eight total hits on the day. Despite the offensive firepower, the team couldn’t hold off Washington’s late rally. Just two days later, on Friday, April 4, the Cruisers returned to their home
COURTESY HEATHER QUIRIE
Eatonville's Amy Tozier is greeted by her teammates at home plate after she slugged a two-run home run in the first inning in the Cruisers game against Orting. field for a rivalry matchup against the Orting Cardinals. Eatonville once again found itself in a tight battle but had to play catch-up
this time. Trailing 13-7 heading into the seventh, the Cruisers rallied with a four-run burst, but their comeback effort came up
just short as they dropped their second straight onerun game, 13-11. Amy Tozier provided the biggest spark for
Eatonville, going 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and three RBIs. Morgan Laird also contributed at the plate, collecting two
hits and driving in a pair. The offense continued to show life, but defensive
SOFTBALL, 3
Eatonville splits two-game series with Clover Park By Skip Smith Contributing Writer
The Eatonville Cruisers baseball team split a two-game series against the Clover Park Timberwolves last week, dropping a narrow 6-5 decision on the road Tuesday before bouncing back with a convincing 9-3 win at home on Wednesday. In Tuesday’s opener, the Cruisers outhit Clover Park 4-3 but couldn’t hold on to a late lead. Eatonville entered the sixth inning up 5-3 before Clover Park’s Rayson Jonas delivered the game-winning blow — a bases-clearing double to left field that gave the Timberwolves a 6-5 edge they wouldn’t relinquish. Ethan Evans paced Eatonville at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a triple and driving in three of the Cruisers’ five runs. Despite the loss, Eatonville turned the page quickly and flipped the script in the rematch the next day. Backed by a breakout performance from Ben Smith, the Cruisers surged past Clover Park 9-3 on Wednesday. Smith went 2-for-4 with four RBIs, playing a hand in nearly half
of Eatonville’s run production. He singled in a run in the third and drove in another in the fifth, also drawing a bases-loaded walk as the Cruisers capitalized on defensive miscues from Clover Park. Eatonville struck first in the top of the third, scoring twice on a Colton Herbrand groundout and a Smith single. After Clover Park responded with three runs in the fourth to take a 3-2 lead, Eatonville fired back with four runs in the top of the fifth — highlighted by Smith’s RBI walk and three Timberwolves errors that led to runs. The Cruisers tacked on three more in the sixth to put the game out of reach. On the mound, Michael Laird earned the win with a strong relief outing. The righthander threw 3.2 scoreless innings, allowing just three hits, striking out two, and issuing no walks. Starter Brody Thirtyacre struck out six over 3.1 innings but battled control issues, walking five and giving up three runs on just one hit. Eatonville showed strong discipline at the plate throughout the contest, drawing eight
BASEBALL, 3