The Heritage Timberwolves are going to baseball’s regionals.
The Timberwolves shook off a Tuesday loss in the Class 4A bi-district tournament and topped Auburn Riverside 10-8 Wednesday in a winner-to-regional, loser-done game.
Alex Smith drove in four runs for Heritage, and reliever Tim Hergert got out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning to save the game.
Heritage jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning but trailed 4-3 after the top of the fourth.
The Timberwolves, though, got three in the bottom of the inning, then added four more in the fifth to take control.
Smith had a two-run single in the fourth, and Jarod Luedecker had a two-run double in the fifth.
Auburn Riverside cut its deficit to three runs and loaded the bases with one out in the seventh before Hergert entered the game. He got one out on a sacrifice fly to make it 10-8. Then Smith, playing shortstop, made a running catch in shallow center field to end the game.
The Timberwolves will play a seeding game Saturday to determine where they will play in the regionals. This will be Heritage’s second appearance in the state round of 16. In 2008, the Timberwolves lost in the state quarterfinals.
North Thurston 10, Columbia River 4 — A five-run sixth inning for the Rams from Lacey ended Columbia River’s hopes of advancing to 3A regionals on Wednesday.
The Chietfains will get a second chance on Saturday when they face Shelton in Tacoma.
Trey Walker went 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI in the loss for River.
Olympia 7, Union 3 — The Titans were eliminated from the Class 4A bi-district tournament with the loss.
Capital 11, Ridgefield 3 — The Spudders were eliminated from the Class 2A district tournament with the loss.
Centralia 11, Hockinson 1 — The Hawks were eliminated from the Class 2A district tournament with the loss in the five-inning game in Centralia.
Softball
Camas 5, Battle Ground 1 — Erin Tauscher hit a home run over the scoreboard in center field, and Katie Schroeder struck out 13 for the Papermakers.
Camas completed an undefeated 4A Greater St. Helens League season and will advances directly to the district championship game next week.
Ridgefield 10, Hockinson 5 — The Spudders pounded out 18 hits in their win, then found out they won the Class 2A Greater St. Helens League title.
Ridgefield improved to 9-2 with one game to play, while second-place Mark Morris lost to fall to 6-4. The Spudders cannot be caught.
Shannon Boyle went 3 for 4 and drove in three runs. She also struck out seven in her complete game, giving up zero earned runs.
Sam Rice, Jenna Mayer, and Jenna Rogers each had three hits as well for the Spudders.
