SEDRO-WOOLLEY — When Nooksack Valley coach Tom Harmon called Amanda TeVelde “the right girl in the right spot,” it was one of the major understatements of the softball season.

A large contingent of Nooksack fans kept buzzing as TeVelde created a winning run in unusual circumstances and Erika Ramstead registered 29 strikeouts and 14 shutout innings as the Pioneers won the Class 1A sub-district championship with a doubleheader sweep Saturday at Janicki Fields.

Nooksack Valley (14-7) scored an unearned run without a hit, thanks to TeVelde’s alert baserunning in the fifth inning of the title game against Lynden Christian junior Taylor Biehle, and Ramstead held on for a 1-0 victory.

In the semifinals, Nooksack beat Friday Harbor 5-0 as Ramstead (14-6) pitched her third no-hitter of the season and struck out a career-high 19. Lesley Anker’s two-run single and Lesley Soto’s run-scoring double were the Pioneers’ big hits.

In the other semifinal, Biehl and sophomore Melanie Schmidt combined on a fiveinning no-hitter with nine strikeouts as Lynden Christian (10-12) topped Meredian 10-0. Biehl and sophomore Carissa Vander Meulen hit home runs over the left-field fence.

Nooksack Valley and Lynden Christian advanced to the tridistrict tournament along with Friday Harbor (16-7), which earned the third spot by eliminating Meridian 6-2.

TeVelde, a fourth-year starter who is Nooksack’s fastest and most experienced baserunner, wound up on first base with one out in the fifth inning, with the title at stake. She was there because LC right fielder Allison Luna threw out freshman pinch-runner Victoria Ramos at second base, denying TeVelde a hit to short right field off the lunging Luna’s glove.

On the first pitch, TeVelde took off for second on a steal. She reached third on the same play with daring running when the ball squirted into short center field. TeVelde then scored when LC catcher Jill Elgersma had to throw to first base to retire Ashley Lambert on a strikeout, because Biehl’s fastball hit the ground.

“Definitely right girl, right spot,” Harmon said of TeVelde. “I was excited to get our best baserunner on first. It was a case of preparation meeting opportunity for Amanda. She’s always looking for an edge, and she knew she had the green light. She was going to try to score on any throw to first base with one out.”

“We’ve done that a lot in practice and I’ve learned to react,” said TeVelde, who wore her lucky bright red nail polish and earlier went 2 for 2 with an RBI against Friday Harbor. “I was prepared to go for it.”

LC coach Bob Vander Haak felt badly for Biehl (10-11). She pitched a gem, allowing only Soto’s single and double and Ramstead’s single while striking out four and walking one.

“One unearned run,” he said, referring to how Joanne TeVelde, Amanda’s younger sister, opened the fifth by making base on an error to set up the odd situation. “Taylor just pitched a great game. Both she and Melanie Schmidt also pitched great in our opener.”

Harmon agreed: “That was just a good old-fashioned battle with LC. Both pitchers threw great.”

“Everyone’s a little sad, but we rallied pretty well and we’ve still got a chance to go to state,” said Biehle, who will pitch in Tacoma on Wednesday when district play opens, with four state spots at stake. Nooksack earned two home games Wednesday at Bender Fields.

Biehle’s shortstop, Carla Vander Woude, turned in two outstanding diving plays to deny Nooksack a run in the fourth, when Soto hit her double.

Ramstead’s third walk and a bloop single to right by LC freshman Brittney De Jager threw a scare into the Pioneers in the seventh, but Ramstead finished with her ninth and 10 strikeouts of the game.

Ramstead had no idea she had 19 strikeouts against Friday Harbor.

“I didn’t know until after the game,” said Ramstead, who also went 2 for 3 and drove in a run. “I guess I was just in a zone. I really don’t pay much attention to statistics.”

“I would have hated to have batted against Erika today,” Harmon said with a grin. “She was really tough.”

Meridian (3-19) broke through with two runs in the sixth against Friday Harbor on a single by Olivia Mitchell, but Friday’s Kerri Goff (14-3) held on to win a four-hitter, ending the Trojans’ season.