Here is a photo from the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Here is a photo from the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Here is a photo from the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Rochester's Jaelin Lancaster throws a pitch during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Rochester catcher Bella Phelps throws down to first on a bunt attempt during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Rochester's Joni Lancaster chases down a ground ball during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Here is a photo from the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Rochester's Jessica Gerardin makes contact with the ball during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Rochester's Jaelin Lancaster runs home during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Centralia's Payton Cline snags a line drive while Rochester's Jessica Gerardin runs back to third and Warriors coach Jared Lancaster watches during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Rochester's Sierra Seymour follows through on her swing during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Centralia's Tucker McAuley tags Rochester's Sierra Seymour during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Rochester's Jaelin Lancaster delivers a pitch during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Centralia's Melissa Zion fields a foul ball during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Centralia's Payton Pocklington slides into second base, covered by Rochester's Sierra Seymour during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Centralia's Payton Cline makes contact with the ball during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Here is a photo from the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Rochester's Joni Lancaster runs to second base during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Centralia's Payton Pocklington tries to beat out Rochester's Joni Lancaster to second base during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Here is a photo from the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Centralia's Leti Ramirez throws to first base during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Centralia's Bryse Gilmore hauls in a fly ball during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Here is a photo from the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Rochester's Bella Phelps is mobbed by teammates at home plate after her 3-run homer in the seventh inning during the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Here is a photo from the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Here is a photo from the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Here is a photo from the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Here is a photo from the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Here is a photo from the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Here is a photo from the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Here is a photo from the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
Here is a photo from the District 4 2A Softball Tournament play-in game between Rochester and Centralia Tuesday, May 19, 2015.
The Warriors had spent the entire regular season trying to earn the opportunity that presented itself on Tuesday afternoon.
They weren’t about to spoil it.
Rochester put the game away with 5 runs in the seventh inning and closed the book on Centralia’s season with a 9-2 win in a District 4 2A pigtail softball game at Fort Borst Park.
As a 2A school that opted to stay put in the Evergreen 2A/1A League, Rochester (16-4) needed to win 75 percent of its games this spring to qualify for a pigtail game with the No. 4 team out of the four-team Evergreen 2A Conference. The winner would then take the EvCo’s 4-seed into the District 4 2A Softball Tournament, which starts Thursday back at Borst.
“It feels like we earned it more this year,” Rochester pitcher Jaelin Lancaster said. “We’ve been working really hard and just looking forward to the next game, and just pushing through to the next level, and we got there.”
Lancaster worked all seven innings on Tuesday, allowing five hits and striking out three with two walks and a single earned run.
Rochester led 4-2 heading into the seventh inning, before Courtney Baird knocked a 2-run single and Bella Phelps broke the game wide open with a deep 3-run homer to left field.
The Warriors’ defense set the tone early, stranding three Tiger runners in the first inning when Joni Lancaster — Jaelin’s twin sister — snagged a line drive at second base for the third out. They stranded two more Tigers in the fifth when Hunter Hahn made a shoelace catch for the third out in left field, and left the bases loaded in the sixth when Lancaster got an easy two-out ground ball back to herself for the final out.
“I think we played really hard today. It felt better than past games, like we played like a team,” Lancaster said. “We were loud, we were making plays that we haven’t made all year, and it was good.”
A walk and a single by Baird set the stage for a 2-run double from Jessica Girardin, which put Rochester up 2-0 in the second. Centralia took advantage of a pair of errors and a single to score in the third, but the Warriors tacked on 2 more in the fifth when the Lancaster twins both came around to score on a wild pitch that caromed off the backstop.
Tiger leadoff hitter Madi Crews singled and scored on a wild pitch in the fifth inning, giving Rochester its short-lived 4-2 lead.
Baird was 2 for 3 and Madison Justice went 2 for 4 for Rochester.
“We just needed a few more timely hits, but they played perfectly,” Warrior coach Jared Lancaster said of his team. “The defense was solid, and (middle infielders) Joni and Sierra (Seymour), everyone gelled well today.”
Rochester will now face Greater St. Helens 2A League champion Woodland at 4 p.m. on Thursday at Fort Borst Park in the first round of the District 4 tournament, and will play against at 6 p.m. in either a semifinal or a loser-out consolation game.
Centralia finished the season with a 4-15 record, after going 1-8 in Evergreen 2A Conference play.
Crews and Tucker McAuley — the only senior on the Tigers’ roster — each had two hits on Tuesday night.
“Her first year was my first year as a head coach here, and she’s been my consistent one all throughout,” Centralia coach Candy Hallom said of McAuley. “I’ll miss her, definitely. She’s just been strong for us all four years. She’s a really good kid and she cares about her teammates.”
