For the first five-plus innings, Rainier coach Katie Qualls was feeling déjà vu.
For the second year in a row, the Mountaineers were down two in a first-round matchup in the district tournament, this time against Mossyrock. And just like last year against Ilwaco, the Mountaineers were struggling to capitalize with runners on base.
“I felt like I was gonna throw up,” Qualls said with a laugh. “In the fourth inning, I’m like ‘no way.’”
The Mountaineers ended up being shut out by the Fishermen last spring, and they were still searching for their first run with two outs in the sixth inning on Monday at Fort Borst Park.
An infield popup should have ended the inning, but instead, it fell to the turf between two Mossyrock infielders.
Rainier took advantage of the good fortune, rattling off six runs in a row to take the lead before shutting down Mossyrock in the seventh to earn a 6-2 victory.
Layla Hill came through with the tying knock, a two-run single up the middle, and after the go-ahead run scored on an errant back-pick, Elaina Henry and Gracie Lantz added RBI singles of their own.
“They never gave up,” Qualls said. “And they count on each other so much. To see them rely on each other and pump each other up, that’s what just ignites the whole thing.”
Just as quickly as the game flipped in the sixth, the Vikings went down 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh, and their season was over.
“It just snowballed,” Mossyrock coach Keith Coleman said. “It’s heartbreaking. You can’t give a team more than three outs an inning, especially in districts. It always jumps up and bites you at the end.”
Erin Cournyer ended up on the hook for the loss despite all six runs being unearned. Prior to that sixth, she was in cruise control, and she was locked in a pitcher’s duel with Henry.
Cournyer helped herself and opened the scoring with an RBI single against Henry in the fourth, and Brooke Schwartz made it 2-0 in the fifth with an RBI knock of her own.
Henry was able to limit the damage in both innings, though. After Cournyer’s single, the Vikings had runners on the corners with no one out, and she gave up just the one run in the fifth after giving up a leadoff triple to Taylor Schwartz.
Henry went on to pitch a complete game, allowing just five hits and the two runs while striking out 10 and walking just one.
“Her competitiveness came out in the circle,” Qualls said. “From the first day that I saw her play, I could tell that’s what type of competitor she was. She just keeps going. It’s pretty amazing, because you don’t see a lot of kids like that.”
Lantz and Hill finished with two RBIs apiece and combined for three hits, while Mia Naval added a pair of hits, including a triple.
Cournyer ended up walking seven and striking out five in a complete game effort of her own. Cournyer, Chesney Schultz, and Lois Stone, Mossyrock’s three seniors, finish their careers with a 6-12 season.
“I’ve been around them for a long time,” Coleman said. “I talked Chesney into coming out her sophomore year, and she became a really good softball player. Erin has been the one we’ve relied on in the circle, and Lois has been the steady outfielder in center field. We’ll miss them, that’s for sure.”
The Mountaineers (12-6) will get to play at least two more games. They’ll take on Pe Ell-Willapa Valley, the P2BL champion, in the district quarterfinals at noon on Thursday.
A win would put them in a winner-to-state district semifinal against the winner of Forks and Napavine at 4 p.m., while a loss would put the Mountaineers against the loser of that game in an elimination game at the same time.
If they are able to advance to the semifinal, they’d have three chances to win and earn their first state tournament berth since 2022.
“They deserve this,” Qualls said. “We’re excited to see (PWV), because that’s the kind of competition that you’re gonna see if you can get to state. But any more time these kids get to play ball together is worth it … I’m glad they get to see at least two more teams together.”
