Three errors, one apiece in the fifth and sixth inning, proved to be costly for the Tenino High School baseball team in a 5-2 setback to Seton Catholic in a Class 1A District 4 semifinal on Tuesday in Castle Rock.
A rematch from the district championship, Tenino (17-6) kept it closer and even in a loss, head coach Ryan Schlesser did leave with a sliver of a silver lining.
“Being in striking distance, it shows that we can compete with anybody in the state,” he said. “We had to play clean if we wanted to beat them and we didn’t.”
Tied at two after 4.5 innings, the Cougars scored in the fifth to take the lead for good and added a two-run single in the sixth for key insurance runs. They were given life on outfielder errors and the Beavers never recovered.
Austin Gonia struck out nine in over five innings on the bump. Mikey Vassar and Jack Burkhardt each recorded two hits for Tenino, who will face Castle Rock in the first of potentially two winner to state games on Friday.
