Out of five area softball teams, Battle Ground and Prairie are the only two to advance to state from districts while three area baseball teams’ seasons came to a close last week.
Battle Ground fastpitch earns state appearance
The Tigers began their 4A District Three/Four tournament with a loss to district runner-up Kentwood High School on Friday, May 17. The game resulted in a 4-2 loss for Battle Ground, sending the fastpitch team to the loser bracket.
The Tigers survived two loser-out games in order to play for a spot at state. They first beat 4A Greater St. Helens rival Union Titans, 11-7, on Friday, May 17. Battle Ground then held on to win, 2-1, over South Kitsap High School on Saturday, May 18.
Following the 2-1 victory over South Kitsap High School, the Tigers had two chances to earn a state berth but only needed one with a 7-1 win over the Decatur Gators on Saturday, May 18.
The Tigers were given the No. 11 seed and will play No. 6 seed Kamiak High School in the 4A state tournament at 9 a.m., Friday, May 24, at the Columbia Playfields in Richland.
Prairie fastpitch claims district championship
The Falcons won the 3A District Three/Four tournament championship on Saturday, May 18.
The Falcons first shut out Spanaway Lake High School, 25-0, on Thursday, May 16, before a close 6-4 win over River Ridge High School later that day, earning a state tournament appearance.
Prairie beat Central Kitsap, 13-2, in the district semifinals on Saturday, May 18. In the district championship, the Falcons beat higher-seeded Auburn Riverside High School, 8-6, to win the tournament.
Despite the win, Auburn Riverside earned the fifth seed in the state tournament while Prairie was given the No. 11 seed and will play No. 6 seed Snohomish High School at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 24 at the Regional Athletic Complex in Lacey.
Ridgefield, Woodland and La Center fastpitch
The 2A District Four tournament did not go in the favor of Ridgefield Spudders and Woodland Beavers.
On Thursday, May 16, both teams were sent into the loser bracket with the Spudders suffering a 16-3 loss to Aberdeen High School and the Beavers losing, 14-4, to Tumwater High School. Ridgefield knocked Woodland out with a 16-3 win later that day. Ridgefield’s season came to an end in a surprising 8-0 loss, Friday, May 17, to Rochester High School, who climbed its way to the state tournament from the pigtail round.
The La Center Wildcats earned one win to two losses in the 1A District Four tournament. They started with a 15-2 loss to Hoquiam High School on Wednesday, May 15. The Wildcats followed up with a 10-8 win against Castle Rock High School later that day, but their season ended against Elma High School in a 24-10 loss on Saturday, May 18.
No area teams advance in state baseball opening rounds
In 4A, the Battle Ground Tigers suffered a season-ending 9-1 loss, Saturday, May 18, to North Creek High School, who advanced to the final four.
In 2A, the Ridgefield Spudders’ season ended with a 9-4 loss to Selah High School on Saturday, May 18.
In 1A, the La Center Wildcats earned a quarterfinals appearance after their 6-0 win over Freeman High School on Saturday, May 18. Their season ended after a 4-2 loss to Cedar Park Christian of Bothell later that day in the quarterfinal round.
