WIAA 3A softball tournament: Semifinal updates, highlights and top performers from Lacey

Garfield survives in 11 innings to defeat Sedro-Woolley, setting up all-District 2 championship against Liberty of Issaquah

Jordana King sparked Garfield to a 5-4 win over Sedro-Woolley in 11 innings in WIAA Class 3A semifinals Saturday in Lacey. / Photo by Todd Milles

LACEY, Wash. - On the softball-thriller craziness scale, Garfield standout Jordana King wasted no time assessing the team's WIAA Class 3A semifinal game against Sedro-Woolley.

"This was way up there," she said.

How could it not? The game has home run-robbing catches, home-plate controversy, timely hits - all in 11 wild innings, lasting 21/2 hours.

When the dust settled, the Bulldogs survived, 5-4, at the Regional Athletic Complex.

Garfield, the 2019 state champion, will play Liberty of Issaquah for the WIAA championship at 2:30 p.m.

King, a Stanford signee, was the igniter - tying the game off touted Cubs' fireballer Kasandra Gonzalez with a solo home run in the sixth inning.

And King's double in tiebreaker-rule 11th inning led to her scoring the game-winning run as the Bulldogs scored twice in the inning to go up, 5-3.

"In an important game, it has to be normal," King said. "You have to take a deep breath, step in and do what you always do."

Sedro-Woolley cut it to 5-4 in the 11th inning on Peyton Brownfield's RBI single to right field. But Mae Valenta caught a sinking liner for the second out, and Sedro-Woolley's Veanna Lamphere flew out to left field to end the game.

The Bulldogs' outfield defense was sensation. Left fielder Sula Yogi-Adams hauled in Reagan Evans' deep fly ball to lead off the sixth, crashing over the fence with the catch of what would have been a go-ahead home run.

"Lockdown defense has been our thing all weekend," Garfield coach Tyler Keys said.

Gonzalez was fantastic all game, giving up just four hits while striking out 14 batters. But the Bulldogs found ways to get to her at key moments.

"We are gritty because we play for each other," King said.

LIBERTY OF ISSAQUAH 3, SNOHOMISH 2

Makayla Kato scored the go-ahead run on an error in the fourth inning, and Avery Huh went the distance, striking out nine batters as the Patriots edged the two-time defending state runner-up.

The Panthers had a 2-1 lead, but Liberty tied it in the third inning on Berlyn Crockett's RBI single.

CLASS 3A in Lacey (Bracket)

* Quarterfinal roundup: Liberty's Avery Huh wins on both ends against Enumclaw.

* Round of 16 roundup: Inglemoor takes down undefeated No. 2 seed Mount Spokane.

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