A 13-run third inning was more than enough for No. 3 Tumwater on Tuesday, when the Thunderbirds throttled No. 6 Hockinson 17-6 in a 2A District 4 Tournament pigtail game.
The Hawks got on the board first in the opening frame, but the T-Birds immediately responded with a pair in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead.
It was still 2-1 when the first two Thunderbirds to hit in the third were set down, but the next 14 Thunderbirds to hit reached base, and 13 of them scored to make it 15-1 Tumwater.
Hockinson did what it could to try and extend the game, scoring five in the fourth to get within nine, but a two-run double from Ava Kivela put the run-rule back into play.
Kiera Rich pitched a scoreless fifth to end it, striking out two in the frame. She relieved Sarah Stevens, who struck out five over the first four innings.
Stevens also drove in three runs at the plate, while Kiverla and Brielle Womach both drove in two. Five other Thunderbirds tallied an RBI, and both Womach and Kendra Schiley finished with two hits.
As a team, Tumwater collected just eight hits, but it also drew 11 walks and took advantage of a pair of Hockinson errors.
The T-Birds are now through to the double-elimination portion of the district tournament, which is set to begin on Thursday at Recreation Park in Chehalis.
Tumwater (13-8) will take on No. 2 Ridgefield at 3:30 p.m.
