The Timberline softball team only needed five innings to stamp its spot in the 3A state tournament, blitzing Auburn Mountainview 14-2 in the district quarterfinals Friday afternoon.
After earning a bye through the first round, the fourth-seeded Blazers wasted no time jumping in front. Pitcher Nevaeh Haagen finished off a 1-2-3 first inning, and after a pair of singles by Porsha Miller and Leovi Meno-Meyers, Kayleese Dorfner drove in Miller with a single to left field.
Brookelyn Read, Brynnli Mayr and Sophia Wiggs each picked up an RBI on consecutive at bats to cap off a four-run first inning in which Timberline saw all nine of its batters come to the plate. Haagen faced a bases-loaded jam with no one out, and she magnificently snuck out of it by striking out the next three batters.
Mayr, a freshman who has shown off her powerful bat in the past month, roped a bases-clearing triple to boost Timberline to a seven-run advantage in the bottom of the second inning. She then scored on a passed ball, and Sophia Rodriguez put the Blazers up 10 with a two-run single.
Haagen delivered a solo home run to straightaway center field in the third inning, her 10th homer of the season, and added an RBI single in the fourth. She finished with 10 strikeouts in five innings in the circle, allowing two unearned runs on two hits.
“This is one of the most talented groups, collectively, that I have coached during my tenure. Our goal is to keep climbing the ladder,” Timberline head coach Lynsi Polanco said. “Today was another example of a total team effort. Everyone contributed in one way or another to give Nevaeh some extra support as she battled pitching in the extremely wet elements. They were all determined to win today and put their foot on the pedal and didn’t let up.”
Next up for Timberline (17-5) is a rematch of the Puget Sound League championship game against Central Kitsap (18-3) in the district semifinals Saturday afternoon. The Blazers are seeking not only a trip to the district finals but also revenge after losing 17-10 in the aforementioned league title match to the Cougars.
“We anticipated a rematch with CK and are actually looking forward to it,” Polanco said. “There’s a chip on our shoulder after our last matchup, so my girls are out for revenge.”
