The Federal Way Eagles baseball team left little doubt Saturday morning at Heidelberg Park in Tacoma.
The Eagles (16-5) guaranteed their first Class 4A state tournament appearance since 2004 with an 11-1 spanking of Gig Harbor in a West Central District game. Federal Way tallied seven runs in the first inning and cruised to the five-inning victory over the Tides.
The Eagles are blazing. Federal Way has won nine games in a row and 12 of their past 13.
Federal Way will stay close to home again this weekend during the first round of the Class 4A State Baseball Tournament. The Eagles will take on Kamiak at 1 p.m. at Kent Memorial Park. Kamiak won the WesCo South Division before losing to Mountlake Terrace in the Northwest 4A District Tournament in Everett Saturday, 4-3.
Gig Harbor takes on Redmond at 10 a.m. at Kent Memorial and the two winners will play at 4 p.m. with a berth into the state semifinals on the line. The semifinals and finals will be held at Safeco Field May 28-29.
Senior Elliot Morris took full advantage of the early run explosion Saturday against Gig Harbor. The right-hander scattered just four hits to the 10th-ranked Tides and struck out seven. The win improved Morris’ record to 5-1 on the year.
Senior TJ Horsfall had the biggest hit during the seven-run first inning. Horsfall hit his fifth home run of the season, a three-run shot. The hit was one of seven during the first inning for the Eagles. Federal Way had five-straight singles to open the game.
Junior shortstop Nick Tanielu finished 3 for 4 with two RBIs and a triple. Horsfall ended up 1 for 3 with the three-run home run, Brett Evans was 2 for 2 with two runs and an RBI and Adam Yunder finished 1 for 2 with two runs scored.
Rogers ends Jefferson’s season at districts
The Thomas Jefferson Raiders (15-8) just didn’t have enough for the Rogers Rams Saturday in their opening game of the West Central District Tournament. Rogers downed the Raiders, 6-4, at Heritage Park in Puyallup in a loser-out game.
Jefferson jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Rams tallied the next six runs, including three in the fourth off starter Jeff Brigham. Brigham, who will pitch next year at the University of Washington, allowed seven hits and five runs in four innings of work.
The Raiders attempted to comeback with three runs in the top of the sixth to pull to within two runs on a three-run double by Gunner Sonnenfeld.
Dalton Gervais had a huge day for Rogers. The senior threw a complete game, allowing only six hits, and also was 2 for 3 with four RBIs and two doubles.
Oakley Murphy finished 3 for 3 with a triple for the Raiders.
