CENTRALIA — The Forks softball team got great pitching performances from Chloe Gaydeski and Lizzy Soto and took advantage of six Rainier errors to win their District 1/4 2B tournament opener 6-2 on Wednesday.
With the victory, Forks (14-5) moved on to the district semifinals late Wednesday afternoon after press deadline against either South Bend or Adna. Win or lose that game, Forks remains alive for a berth to the state 2B tournament. If the Spartans win that later game, they are in the tournament finals and automatically qualify for state.
Gaydeski and Soto combined to allow five hits and strike out 10. Gaydeski started, going five innings, allowing four hits and an earned run while striking out eight. Soto pitched two innings, allowing one hit and one unearned run while striking out two. Soto also got out of a big jam in the sixth inning when Rainier was able to score a run on a pair of Forks errors and Soto walks. Rainier got the bases loaded with two outs, threatening a big inning, but Soto got a strikeout to end the inning.
The Spartans were able to score two runs in the first with the help of two Rainier errors and three more in the third with the help of two more errors.
Kadie Wood went 2-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base, while Keira Johnson was 1-for-3 with a run scored and a double. Bailey Johnson had a hit and a stolen base, while Gaydeski, Soto and Kaidence Rigby all had a hit and a run scored.
Forks is one of four Olympic Peninsula teams in the postseason. Sequim and Port Angeles begin play in the bi-district 2A tournament Friday while Quilcene is in the state 1B tournament beginning May 26. Port Angeles is the only baseball team alive, as the Roughriders begin play in the state 2A tournament Saturday morning.
Forks 6, Rainier 2
Rainier 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 — 2 5 6
Forks 2 0 3 1 0 0 X — 6 7 2
Pitching
Forks — Gaydeski 5 IP, 2 H, ER, 8 K; Soto 2 IP, H, 2 K.
Hitting
Forks — Wood 2-4, R, SB; K. Johnson 1-3, 2B, R; B. Johnson 1-4, SB; Gaydeski 1-3, R; Soto 1-3, R; Rigby 1-3, R.
