Coleman powers Cascade High to state softball title

CORVALLIS -- Tribal Elder Nancy Coleman is one proud grandmother.

Her granddaughter, Tribal member Rachelle Coleman, hit a two-run homer for Turner's Cascade High School softball team to help them win the school's second straight OSAA 4A championship game against Henley High of Klamath Falls on Saturday, June 4.

Not bad for a freshman.

With the game tied 1-1, Rachelle watched her cousin, Sommer Coleman, get hit by a pitch from Henley's Rylee Carleton to lead off the fourth inning.

Rachelle followed her cousin by taking a curveball and hitting it over the left field fence at the Oregon State Softball Complex to give the Cougars a 3-1 lead.

It was Rachelle's second homer of the season and helped Cascade eventually beat Henley 5-1.

"That was about as big a spark as you're going to get right there," said Cascade coach Tim Ganfield. "And I guess at that point we just needed somebody to step up, and thankfully somebody always has this year. Somebody always provided something.

"You don't expect your No. 7 hitter in the order to be able to do that. We've seen it in practice. I guess she picked a pretty good stage to do it in."

Rachelle plays second base for Cascade, taking the spot vacated by last year's only senior.

"Rachelle got in there and did a nice job," Ganfield said. "And the last couple of weeks, we've kind of gone with Rachelle in there. She's done very well, especially today. She had a great day."

"It's awesome," Rachelle said. "It's like the best feeling in the world."

Rachelle is the daughter of Tribal member Randy Coleman and his wife Tammy.

Includes information from the Salem Statesman-Journal.