SPORTS EDITOR

What was a dream come true for one team marked the end of the season for the other.

Mount Rainier earned its way to this coming weekend's West Central District 3A tournament while Tyee was sent home for the year for being on the losing side of a 4-3 score.

"The girls worked hard, but it's a struggle," said Rams head coach Angelique Porter, whose team improved its record to 14-6.

Both teams struggled to rebound from opening round losses in the SPSL/Seamount 3A Fastpitch Tournament at Kent Service Park.

Mount Rainier was coming off a 5-2 loss to Sumner while the Totems were only defeated by a 2-0 score by Bonney Lake in their opener. The two teams were then pitted in a do-or-die, loser-out battle for a berth to district.

Pitching proved to be a strong point for both teams, with Mount Rainier feeling most blessed to have the presence of Blessed Joy Mipalar.

Mipalar mowed down eight batters on strikeouts.

"Our freshman pitcher worked really hard," said Porter.

Tyee junior Maniqua "Neka" Sanchez, meanwhile, struck out 12 Mount Rainier batters and allowed nine hits.

But it's runs that count in the win/loss column, and Mount Rainier emerged with one more than Tyee.

Brandi Brown doubled to left, then came in on a double down the right-field line by Mipalar two outs later. Kelsey Berg doubled in Mipalar.

One more run was tacked on in the fourth when Brown tripled to deep left center and scored on a wild pitch. But the Totems began to chip away at the 4-0 lead in the top of the fifth.

Sanchez dropped a single into right field and scored on a base hit by Nicole Wright.

Shelby Wright singled to right with one out, then advanced on a wild pitch and a sacrifice bunt by pinch hitter Vanessa Marroquin.

A walk to Katie Neubauer was followed by a ground ball into an error at shortstop that scored Shelby Wright. Neubauer scored on a base hit by Sanchez.