For the first time since 2014, the Tumwater baseball team has made it out of the regional round of the state playoffs and will earn a trip to the state semis after back-to-back gems from its pitchers in wins over Shadle Park and Ephrata Saturday in Chehalis.
The Thunderbirds relied on the arms of Ryan Orr and Jordan Hanson once again in low-scoring wins, defeating Shadle Park, 7-1 behind 17 strikeouts from Orr, and defeating Ephrata, 2-1, thanks to 11 punchouts from Hanson.
The win sets up a rematch against W.F. West in the state semifinals at Yakima County Stadium Friday at 1 p.m.
Orr was the story in the first win against Shadle Park, where the T-Birds let up just three hits and two walks in a dominant effort. At the plate, Brayden Oram went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and Trent Roy added two RBIs on a 2 for 3 line.
In the second game, Hanson struck out 11 and allowed just one hit in 6 ⅔ innings of action, and Alex Overbay picked up a save after Hanson hit a pitch limit, striking out the last batter to end the game. Orr and Landon Roy recorded RBIs for the T-Birds in the victory.
