The Douglas College Royals got a taste of the playoffs in Northwest community college regional women's softball.
The 10th-seeded Royals knocked off No. 7 Treasure Valley 1-0 in the opening round and then surprised unbeaten No. 2-ranked Bellevue 5-3 to move on to the semifinals on May 18.
Shelby Spargo batted in what proved to be the winning run in the first inning in the opener.
Spargo also had the game-winning RBI single in a four-run third inning that proved the difference against Bellevue.
Joanie Hayes led things off with single that scored Kristi Wilson for the game's first run.
Courtney Buckland then slapped a two-run single.
Kim Maedel added a solo dinger in the fifth inning to give Douglas a 5-0 lead before Bellevue began a rally in the bottom of the seventh.
Kyla Myre, who threw a one-hitter in the opener against Treasure Valley, struck out 11 Bellevue batters in the win, including the final out.
On Saturday, Douglas fell 3-1 to Lower Columbia College in the doubleknockout competition despite outhitting the opposition 8-7.
Lauren Shannik batted in the only run for Douglas on a sacrifice fly to centre field in the second inning.
Later in the day, Douglas took Clackamas College to seven innings before falling 6-4.
Myre was the Royals' player of the game, scoring two runs on three hits, including her seventh home run of the season on a solo blast in the fifth that momentarily tied the game at 4-4.
Clackamas replied with two runs in the bottom of the inning on a double to centre by Katie Aden.
Wilson matched Myre at the plate, batting threefor-four in the final game.
"We could have been there," said Douglas head coach Gord Collings. "I think we overachieved in the Bellevue game. But I think our girls were definitely ready. They liked playing the Bellevue team (despite losing four times to the team in the regular season) and Kyla (Myre) was just in her groove."
Douglas finished second in the North conference and came into the 16-team Northwest regional playoffs as an underdog.
"I am so proud of the ladies and the progress they have made, and put the Douglas program on the map this weekend," Collings added. "To come from where we started with kids dropping in to where we are today, it's very gratifying."
The regional final between Clackamas and Lower Columbia was postpostponed because of weather until Wednesday.
Walk-on tryouts at Douglas College will be held in late August.
Go to www.douglife. ca/dcroyasathletics/ for details.
