RIDGEFIELD — When a two-run lead slipped through their grasp in the seventh inning, the Columbia River baseball team didn’t have time to dwell.
The Rapids were three outs away from defeating Tumwater in Wednesday’s District 4 semifinal game at Ridgefield Outdoor Recreation Complex, until the two-time defending Class 2A state champion Thunderbirds roared back with three runs to reclaim a 5-4 lead.
River responded in the bottom half with a Nate Little RBI single to force extra innings. A whole new game. Between innings, the Rapids tried to refocus in their dugout.
“We just said, ‘Lock in. Everyone get focused, get up off the bench, get on the fence,’” River junior Harrison Hoffarth said. “Everyone’s in the game, even the guys on the bench are doing the most to contribute to the team.”
After relief pitcher Charlie Palmersheim forced three quick outs at the top of the eighth, the Rapids got two runners on with two outs. Tumwater intentionally walked Zayne Boyes and Hoffarth, but left on Little, and the junior made the Thunderbirds pay.
Little drove a base hit to right field, pinch runner Tommy Blau slid head-first into home and the Rapids secured a 5-4 win to advance to Saturday’s district championship, in addition to clinching a 2A state regional berth.
“Before my (at-bat), my coach came up to me and said, ‘They’re going to walk Harry. You’re going to be the man to do it.’” Little recalled. “I said right back to him, ‘I’m gonna do it.’”
Little’s confidence was indicative of how a veteran Rapids team with 14 seniors felt during a pressure-packed moment. They’ve experienced practically every situation before, and despite that seventh-inning gut punch, they didn’t allow themselves to fold.
“We’ve all pretty much experienced games like this before,” Palmersheim said. “We’ve had close games with Ridgefield, (Mark) Morris, so this is really just — this is what we do.”
Palmersheim was called in to pitch to begin the fifth inning in place of junior Noah Coakes, who gave up six hits and two earned runs over four innings, and was on the mound when the Rapids grabbed their first lead in the bottom half.
River scored a tying run thanks to a Tumwater throwing error that gave Palmersheim a lane to score. Hoffarth then drilled a two-out RBI double to the warning track and scored on a Little RBI single as River took a 4-2 lead to the final two innings.
Little led River with three hits and two RBI, while Hoffarth and Peter Lubisich each added two hits.
River’s lead stood until the seventh when Tumwater scored two runs with two outs in a River error to first base. The Thunderbirds took a 5-4 lead on a Liam Karlson RBI single. After the game, River coaches told players they still have a lot to clean up before next week’s 2A state regional round.
“Toward the middle of the game, our energy in that dugout kind of just died,” Little said. “If we just keep battling, keep fighting, keep that energy up in the dugout, I think we can do it.”
The Rapids were among the youngest team in the district last season when they missed state after losing back-to-back games to Tumwater and Mark Morris in the district playoffs. Their last run to state playoff run in 2022 ended in a runner-up finish to that same Thunderbirds team in the 2A state championship game. Players who were part of that team relished the opportunity to return the favor on Wednesday.
“All 14 of us (seniors), at least 10 of us were in that game against Tumwater,” Palermsheim said, “so we all kind of played with a chip on our shoulders today. “This win feels really good for us.”
When River coach Stephen Donohue announced after the game he planned to give the team a rare day off Thursday, several players’ jaws dropped.
How do they plan to spend it?
“We’re excited about that,” Palmersheim said. “Maybe a little pool day?”
“I’m going to the cages,” Hoffarth countered. “I’m staying on it.”
Saturday’s district championship game against WF West will be played at the RORC at 5 pm
