The third-place game will not be played at the 4A state tournament due to time concerns, meaning both teams will be awarded third-place trophies that advance. Glacier Peak is playing Richland in the consolation bracket.
SPOKANE — It will be an all-Wesco final.
Jackson held off Redmond, 4-2, and Lake Stevens toppled undefeated Richland, 6-3, to pit the two conference rivals against each other.
Iyanla de Jesus clubbed a two-run homer in the first inning, which proved to be the difference against the Mustangs.
Redmond had a sterling chance in the bottom of the seventh, with the bases loaded and star player, Kiki Milloy, a University of Tennessee signee and daughter of former Seahakws safter Lawyer Milloy, up to bat, but de Jesus fanned her to retain the lead.
Jillian Hampson was 2-for-4 with three runs scored and de Jesus knocked in a pair of runs for the Timberwolves.
Lake Stevens scored a pair of runs in the first two innings to jump on top of Richland.
The Vikings worked out of a similar jam, as Kaylie Hoskins induced a popup and struck out a batter for the final out.
Emma Fortney drove in four runs for Lake Stevens.
Lake Stevens are Jackson split two regular season matchups, but the Timberwolves won the meeting in the WesKing District tournament, 5-3.
Hubby leads Vikings into semifinals
Kiley Hubby led an offensive explosion, as Lake Stevens clobbered Skyview, 12-4, to advance to the state semifinals on Saturday.
Hubby, a junior, finished with two homers, a double and five RBI, for the Vikings in the rout.
“She’s definitely the firestarter, man,” Lake Stevens head coach Sarah Hirsch said. “The kid hits the ball and sees the ball well. She can crush and it’s so fun to watch, because you know you’re going to get something exciting, no matter what.”
The Vikings’ offense notched 15 hits and poured on nine runs in the first four innings to jump out to a 9-4 lead.
In addition to Hubby’s big performance, leadoff hitter Rachael Eichenberger drove in three runs and Alexis Psaradelis went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Hoskins allowed four runs, but struck out 12 in 6 1/3 innings for the Vikings.
Jackson advances to semis
If things went astray from the script in Jackson’s opening round matchup, it unfolded almost flawlessly in the Timberwolves’ quarterfinal matchup.
Jackson erupted for 11 hits and seven runs in the first four innings and, almost more importantly, ace pitcher Iyanla de Jesus was granted a chance to rest for two-plus innings, as the Timberwolves knocked off Tahoma, 7-2, to advance to the 4A state semifinals on Saturday at Dwight Merkel Sports Complex.
FINAL: Jackson 7, Tahoma 2.
Timberwolves are moving onto the semifinals. 11 hits for offense, and more importantly, De Jesus with a chance to rest for a couple innings. @JHSWolfpack pic.twitter.com/VM1caaQsRZ
— Josh Horton (@JoshHortonEDH) May 25, 2019
“It was hugely important to get runs early in the game because we wanted to get Ice a couple innings off,” Jackson head coach Kyle Peacocke said. “We were able to get both of our pitcher and catcher out of there for about two innings, which was nice.”
Due to delays yesterday, Jackson will need to win four consecutive games, all on Saturday, to win a state championship. Having De Jesus, who sports a 0.83 ERA, fresh for the final four could prove crucial.
“The way it is now, anytime off is good,” Peacocke said. “We should be ready for the semifinal game. She’ll take us as far as we can go in that game.”
De Jesus allowed no hits and struck out six in 4 2/3 innings. Amanda Wingert relieved her after the third inning, before de Jesus eventually returned in the sixth, and allowed two runs — one earned — on three hits with one strikeout.
Jackson hung three runs in the first after Macy Tarbox’s RBI single and Laina Delgado’s two-run single. Jillian Hampson blooped a single to center field to score Sammy Klotter, who led off the inning with a double. Tarbox led off the third with a solo homer, then Jessica Asantor ‘s squeeze bunt scored Kayla Peacocke. Hampson picked up her second RBI on a single to center to score Julia Dillon.
FINAL: Jackson 7, Tahoma 2.
Timberwolves are moving onto the semifinals. 11 hits for offense, and more importantly, De Jesus with a chance to rest for a couple innings. @JHSWolfpack pic.twitter.com/VM1caaQsRZ
— Josh Horton (@JoshHortonEDH) May 25, 2019
Tarbox led the Timberwolves with three hits. Delgado, Tarbox and Hampson each chipped in two RBI.
“We’re doing it one-through-nine and we’re scoring about every way you can,” Peacocke said. “Everyone has to contribute to get this done.”
Jackson will play Redmond in the semifinals. The Mustangs knocked off Chiawana, 5-1, in a quarterfinal game.
Timberwolves win first-round matchup in dramatic fashion
Jackson’s first-round walkoff on Saturday morning had it all: Some superb pitching, marvelous defensive plays, and of course, a clutch hit.
In a survive and advance state tournament format, that’s typically what it takes.
Julia Dillon’s walkoff RBI single in the bottom of the ninth advanced the Timberwolves into the 4A state quarterfinals, as Jackson toppled Camas, 4-3.
“On a day like this, it’s really about survival and it’s about every kid on the team,” Peacocke said. “It’s about every pitch, every out. Every team that’s here deserves to be here and they want to win. Our kids didn’t panic. It wasn’t a perfect game, but they came through when they needed to. And a huge, huge hit by Julia Dillon.”
International tiebreaker rules came into a effect in the bottom of the ninth, which placed a runner at second base to start the inning. But the bottom of the frame didn’t start as planned, as Lauren Whitley fouled out on a bunt and Jessica Asantor flied out to center for two quick outs. But Kelsey DeFries hustled out an infield single and Dillon, Jackson’s No. 9 hitter on Saturday, poked the game-winning hit to left field to end the game.
“That was probably one of the most nerve-wracking at-bats I’ve ever had in my career,” Dillon said. “When I saw that ball go through the infield, I was so hyped up and all my emotions just kind of came out and I knew this was what was best for the team and we won the game and that we’re moving on.”
Two key defensive plays helped move the Timberwolves on. In the top of the eighth, a fielding error allowed the leadoff runner to reach base for Camas, but Delgado quickly erased the potential go-ahead run, snagging a line drive to her right and touching the bag at first for the unassisted double play.
Delgado was a major part of the second one, as well, stretching out for Jillian Hampson’s laser from third on a slow roller for the final out of the top of the ninth, stranding a Papermaker at third.
T9: Jackson gets out of inning unscatheted, Jillian Hampson with a hose to first for final out of inning.
Camas goes out to argue, but to no avail.
Bottom 9 we go, runner at 2nd starts inning for Jackson. pic.twitter.com/vGptiNPiiS
— Josh Horton (@JoshHortonEDH) May 25, 2019
“Those were game changers right there,” Peacocke said. “Ice is a great pitcher, but our defense hasn’t got enough credit for how good they’ve been all year.”
The dramatic win did come at a cost, as ace pitcher Iyanla de Jesus threw 140 pitches over nine innings. With four wins at a single day required to capture a state championship on Saturday, her usage will be something to track.
“That’s not the way we would have drawn it up to start,” Peacocke said, “but it is what it is and we’re going to go as long as we can and go after the next one. … We’re just going to try and win one game at a time.”
Glacier Peak advances
Ashley Schmer, the Grizzlies’ No. 9 hitter, pummeled a go-ahead two-run double in the sixth, to propel Glacier Peak over Eastlake, 2-1, and advance in the consolation bracket on Saturday.
“I’m extremely proud of my girls, for the simple fact that this season and going into the postseason, they’ve never quit on themselves, they’ve never quit on eachother,” Glacier Peak head coach Stefanie Celix said. “They’re completely dedicated to playing this game for one another.”
FINAL: Eastlake Morgan Olynyk’s long fly ball is caught with a runner on third and Grizzlies are moving on through consolation bracket.
Glacier Peak 2, Eastlake 1. pic.twitter.com/P7jwbcWDFb
— Josh Horton (@JoshHortonEDH) May 25, 2019
The Wolves went up 1-0 on Megan Cotton’s RBI single in the fifth.
But the Grizzlies responded quickly by setting the table with Makayla Miller reaching on an error and Emily Scott gapping a double, allowing Schmer to wallop a double to the left field fence to put the Grizzlies on top.
“It was huge for our team to know wherever we stop in our order, we can pick it right back up and score runs where we need to score runs,” Celix said.
Glacier Peak will play the loser of a Chiawana and Redmond in another loser-out consolation game.
This post will be updated throughout the day. Follow Josh Horton on twitter (@joshhortonEDH) for live updates from Spokane.
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