SPOKANE — The Jackson High School softball team was on the brink of playing for a third consecutive state title.
But with a stunning seventh-inning comeback by Skyview, the Timberwolves’ dreams of a historic three-peat unraveled in heartbreaking fashion.
The third-seeded Storm rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh and handed second-seeded Jackson a crushing 4-3 walkoff loss in a Class 4A state semifinal Saturday morning at Dwight Merkel Sports Complex.
It denied the Timberwolves a chance to become the first softball program in state history to win three consecutive 4A state crowns. Jackson claimed the 2018 and 2019 4A state titles, prior to the 2020 and 2021 postseasons being canceled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
After their semifinal loss, the Timberwolves (24-4) suffered a 10-9 nine-inning defeat to fifth-seeded Skyline in the consolation bracket.
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The semifinal clash between Jackson and Skyview (21-2) was scoreless until the top of the fifth, when Leneyah Mitchell led off with a triple and scored on a two-out single by Rachel Sysum to give the Timberwolves a 1-0 lead.
In the sixth, Jackson added two more runs on four singles to stretch its lead to 3-0.
The Timberwolves took a three-run lead into the bottom of the seventh, but the Storm engineered a massive rally.
Skyview began its comeback by sandwiching a pair of walks around a single to load the bases with one out.
Addison Harmier then grounded a base hit between first and second base, driving in a pair of runs to cut Jackson’s lead to 3-2.
Samantha Groesbeck followed with a squeeze bunt in front of home plate, which allowed Kya Jenkins to race home and dive headfirst across the plate for the tying run.
And two batters later, Skylar Groesbeck chopped a walkoff single up the middle that got past a diving attempt by Jackson’s second baseman. Harmier raced around third and sprinted home on the play, sliding across the plate for the winning run to send the Storm into a frenzied celebration.
Skyview advanced to the 4A state championship game, where it fell 7-6 to eighth-seeded Redmond.
3A SOFTBALL
LACEY — No. 13 seed Monroe earned a 17-4 win over Wesco rival and ninth-seeded Cascade in a consolation-bracket game Saturday morning at Regional Athletic Complex.
But the Bearcats lost their ensuing consolation game, falling 10-5 to fifth-seeded Bonney Lake to finish one victory shy of a top-four state trophy.
Monroe finished its season at 20-8.
Cascade ended its breakthrough year at 19-8. The Bruins’ two consolation victories on Friday were their first state tournament wins in program history.
2A SOFTBALL
SELAH — No. 12 seed Lakewood fell 17-3 to top-seeded Othello in the state semifinals Saturday morning at Carlon Park. The Cougars then suffered a 15-13 consolation-bracket loss to third-seeded Lynden on a walkoff homer in the eighth inning.
It ended a historic postseason run for Lakewood (18-8), which reached the state semifinals for the first time in program history.
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