STATE SOFTBALL: Thomas Jefferson goes 0-2 at rain-shortened tournament in Tacoma

The last two weeks have been a waiting game for the Thomas Jefferson softball team, thanks to Mother Nature. For the second time in as many weekends, the Raiders were all set to play softball Friday morning, but heavy rains cancelled competition at the Class 4A State Softball Championships at the South End Recreation Area in Tacoma.

By Casey Olson • May 31, 2010 3:38 pm
Thomas Jefferson's Reno Whitcomb is tagged out by Inglemoor's catcher during Saturday's opening round game at the Class 4A state softball tournament at the South End Recreation Center in Tacoma. The Raiders lost two-straight games at state.
Thomas Jefferson's Reno Whitcomb is tagged out by Inglemoor's catcher during Saturday's opening round game at the Class 4A state softball tournament at the South End Recreation Center in Tacoma. The Raiders lost two-straight games at state.

The last two weeks have been a waiting game for the Thomas Jefferson softball team, thanks to Mother Nature.

For the second time in as many weekends, the Raiders were all set to play softball Friday morning, but heavy rains cancelled competition at the Class 4A State Softball Championships at the South End Recreation Area in Tacoma.

Officials were forced to condense the tournament into a one-day affair on Saturday.

But the Raiders’ season ended with a pair of losses in Tacoma. Jefferson dropped their opening-round game to Inglemoor, 8-6, and then were eliminated from the tournament by Rogers, 3-2, in extra innings. It was Jefferson’s third trip to the state tournament in the last four years.

The loss to Inglemoor was a heart-breaker for the Raiders. After falling behind 4-0, Jefferson (20-11) fought back with two runs in the top of the fifth inning to cut the lead to 4-2.

But Inglemoor came right back in the sixth to score four more runs of their own to take a commanding 8-2 lead into the seventh inning. The Raiders attempted a comeback with four runs of their own in their final at bat, but it wasn’t enough.

Freshman Reno Whitcomb and sophomore Lexi Goranson both finished with two RBIs each and Allie Crowe ended up 3 for 4 with an RBI. Sophomore Michaela Patton also had a pair of hits for TJ, who finished with nine hits during the game.

The extra-inning game against Rogers had a totally different feel than the Inglemoor loss. The Raiders were only able to muster two hits off Rogers’ starting pitcher Bobby Jo Schaapveld.

Despite the lack of offense, TJ was still very much in the game against the Rams, who finished second in the South Puget Sound League South Division. The Raiders actually took a quick 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning.

Jefferson held the lead until Rogers tied the game with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth inning. After holding the Raiders scoreless in the top of the eighth, Rogers tallied the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth to snare the victory.

The two losses at state came after Jefferson also endured a rain-shortened West Central District Tournament two weekends ago. The district tournament was also shortened to one day of competition.