The idea is to be playing your best at the end of the season. The Thomas Jefferson fastpitch team is doing just that.
The Raiders won their eighth game in a row Friday, knocking off previously unbeaten Kentwood, 2-1. The win improved TJ to 12-3 in the South Puget Sound League North Division. Kentwood still leads the division at 14-1 and has already clinched the regular-season title. The Raiders can secure the league’s second seed into the postseason Thursday with a win over Auburn Riverside (11-3) at Jefferson. The Ravens beat TJ earlier in the season, 1-0.
The fastpitch playoffs will kick off May 15-16 with the SPSL Tournament. The top-five finishers from both the SPSL North and South divisions will play for seeding into the West Central District Tournament, which will be played May 22-23 at the Sprinker Recreation Center in Spanaway. The top-six finishers at the district tournament advance to the Class 4A State Softball Tournament, which will take place May 29-30 at the South End Recreation Center in Tacoma.
Jefferson last advanced into the state tournament in 2007. It was the program’s second appearance at state (2002) and the Raiders have never placed.
Against Kentwood, the usually potent TJ offense mustered only five hits off Conqueror starter Kayla Evans. But senior left-hander Jessica Dickson was also impressive on the mound for the Raiders. Dickson scattered seven hits and allowed a single run in the top of the fifth inning while striking out five.
The Raiders got all the offense they needed in the bottom of the sixth inning. Trailing 1-0, Jefferson plated a pair of runs to take a 2-1 advantage, thanks to an RBI from senior outfielder Erin Fujita and a run and stolen base from junior shortstop Hannah Kiyohara. Fujita finished 1 for 2 with a double and Kiyohara was 1 for 2. Catcher Chrsti Bruin finished 2 for 3 with a double.
The win over the Conquerors came just a day after the Raiders shutout the Kentlake Falcons on the road, 6-0, Thursday. Dickson also picked up the win on the mound by limiting Kentlake to just six hits in seven innings of work. Dickson struck out seven. Senior Jayme Carbon led the offense with a 2-for-3 day with two runs and an RBI.
After dropping four games in a row, Beamer got back on the winning track Monday with a 6-3 victory over Decatur in their regular-season finale. The win improved the Titans to 7-9 and left them alive for the fifth and final playoff berth from the SPSL South Division. Both Bethel (6-7) and Spanaway Lake (7-8) have rain-out games to make up. Emerald Ridge (15-0), Rogers (12-2) and Puyallup (10-4) have all clinched postseason berths.
Against Decatur (1-10), the Titans tallied six runs in the first two innings and Emma Blauser picked up the win on the mound in the rain-shortened game. Blauser allowed three hits in five innings and struck out seven.
Beamer’s offense was led by Taylor Winton, who finished 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBIs.
The Titans dropped a pair of games Thursday and Friday with a 6-0 loss to Rogers Friday and a heart-breaking 7-6, extra-inning loss to Graham-Kapowsin Thursday.
Against Graham-Kapowsin, the Titans tallied six runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 6-5 lead. The Eagles fought back to tie the game with a run in the bottom of the sixth, which is how the game stayed until Graham-Kapowsin plated a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to secure the win.
Beamer’s Sarah Petosa finished 2 for 4 with two runs and a triple and Taylor Winton also had a pair of hits.
The Titans were no-hit by Rogers’ Bobbi-Jo Schaapveld Friday.
