Missed opportunities at the plate and errors in the field proved to be the downfall in the Canby softball team’s 6-2 loss to No. 1 Ridgeview in the Class 5A state semifinals on Tuesday, June 3.

The fifth-seeded Cougars, enjoying the program’s best season in decades, committed three errors in the field. Of the six Ravens’ six runs, only one was earned. And when the Cougars had runners on base, they did not get the hits they needed to bring those runners home.

With the loss, the fifth-ranked Cougars saw their two-game winning streak snapped and ended their season at 21-8 after winning the Northwest Oregon Conference.

Canby was led by junior pitcher Alli Hayzlett (she went 2 for 4 at the plate, and also threw six innings, allowing six runs – one earned – on nine hits and one walk while striking out seven), senior second baseman Madi Bigej (she went 1 for 3 at the plate), and junior shortstop Abi Troutman (she went 1 for 4 with one run scored).

Top-ranked Ridgeview, meanwhile, won for the fourth straight time and improved to 26-1 overall after winning the Intermountain Conference. Next up, the Ravens will face No. 2 Thurston in the 5A state championship game at 6 p.m. Saturday at Jane Sanders Stadium in Eugene. The Colts (23-5 overall after finishing second in the Midwestern League) earned their spot in the title contest by beating third-ranked Crater 18-15 at Thurston High School on Tuesday.

“(Ridgeview) is number one in the state for a reason,” said Canby coach Emily Conklin. “They are a good hitting team (and) their pitcher is really good. I think we both came out to play, but they just played a little bit better today.

“We came out guns blazing and we were ready,” Conklin continued. “(But) I think nerves got to us a little bit.”

Indeed, the Cougars came out hard, with two of the first three batters of the game – junior pitcher Allison Hayzlett and senior second baseman Madison Bigej – reaching base on singles to apply pressure on the Ravens with only one out.

But Ridgeview sophomore pitcher Brezlyn Hagemeister worked out of the jam with two strikeouts to end the threat.

In the second inning, junior first baseman Lauren Toma singled and reached third after a wild pitch resulted in a dropped third strike, which gave the Cougars an extra out in the inning.

But again, Hagemeister worked out of the jam without giving up a run.

Similar stories – runners on base and in scoring position with less than two outs – happened again in the third and fifth innings, but on each occasion, Hagemeister (she struck out 11 Canby batters) worked out of trouble without giving up a run.

“Obviously, she has some speed,” Conklin said of Hagemeister. “But she has movement, too. She is a great pitcher who is tough to hit.”

Two errors in the bottom of the third inning opened the door for four Ridgeview runs. The Ravens then extended their lead in the fourth inning when senior catcher Kinnedy Scott hit an RBI triple, then scored when Hagemeister reached on an error

Hayzlett was in the circle for the Cougars, striking out seven Ravens, while giving up nine hits and six runs (one earned).

The Cougars cut into their six-run deficit in the sixth inning when junior shortstop Abigail Troutman and junior center fielder Summer St. John each scored runs, but it would not be enough.

“We got a little bit of a spark,” Conklin said. “But it was just a little too late in the game to dig out of it. I was proud of them for coming back. I think they played a great game, and it was a super awesome season this year.”