It was only five walks that the Warriors allowed, but all ended up as rally starters for the Cougars in order to secure a 6-2 triumph in a Class 1A District 4 semifinal on Tuesday night at the Harmony Sports Complex in Vancouver.
The loss drops Rochester (12-8), the Evergreen’s No. 2 seed, into a winner-to-state game on Friday at W.F. West versus the Trico’s No. 4 seed King’s Way Christian. Seven innings are the separator from going home or being in the state tournament for the first time in 12 years.
“We all know what is at stake and I know our guys will show up and give it everything they got,” Warriors head coach Brad Quarnstrom said. “They’re going to leave it all out there.”
Three walks in the bottom of the third set Seton Catholic up for a three-run frame on an RBI groundout, passed ball and run-scoring single. A leadoff base on balls in the fifth was followed by an RBI double, an outfield error and an RBI groundout to make it a six-run lead.
Rochester’s lone runs came in the sixth on Tayden Martin’s two-run base hit. A two-out error kept the inning going, but a strikeout ended the rally. Owen Driver recorded a double for the Warriors as their other hit on the night.
