NAPAVINE —- At this time last spring, the Rainier Mountaineers looked like anything but a team that could make it past its 2B District 4 Tournament opener.
They stumbled into the tournament against Napavine coming off of four straight losses by an average margin of 12 runs, and their 13-0 loss in their district contest against the Tigers to finish the season only increased that.
This spring, a Mountaineers squad that once succumbed to its youth and inexperience is blossoming into an energized, hungry bunch seeking postseason glory. Justin Gurnsey's sixth-seeded team knocked off the third seed Forks 6-3 Saturday afternoon at Napavine High School to advance to the quarterfinals against a familiar foe: Napavine.
Peyton Sheaffer pitched six strong innings, Dayton Gardner's first career home run, and a wealth of clutch defensive stops led Rainier to its first win in the district tournament since May 10, 2019.
“We’ve been preaching changing the climate of the team from last year to this year, and I see that they are starting to realize that they can do it,” Gurnsey said. “Things will happen in the game that don’t go your way, but if you just continue to be positive and move forward, flush the last play and make the next one, they’ll start to believe.”
Against the Spartans, it took Rainier only three at-bats to do what it failed to do against Napavine at districts last year: score. Sheaffer's RBI single allowed Yazama Gurnsey to score, and Kaden Goodman came home on a wild pitch the next at-bat. The Mountaineers added a third run in the second inning as Wyatt Cughan scored on an infield error.
After retiring seven of his first eight hitters faced, Sheaffer ran into some trouble in the third inning. An errant throw by third baseman Kaymen Larman allowed a bunt single to advance to second base, and another infield error on a pickoff attempt gave way for Forks’ first run. The Spartans converted on a sacrifice groundout, and suddenly the Mountaineers’ lead was cut in half.
Hunter Howell led off the fourth with a first-pitch double, and Gardner stepped up to the plate looking to best his teammate as he often does in practice. The two seniors compete to see who can hit the ball the farthest, and Gardner undoubtedly secured the head-to-head victory over Howell in a clutch moment. He whacked the ball to right field and sent his first varsity homer over the fence, to his bewilderment.
“As soon as I hit it, chills went down my body. I got over here and I was like, ‘Wow, that went out,’” Gardner, whose two-run shot gave Rainier a 6-2 advantage, said. “It didn't feel real, honestly.”
Sheaffer gave up a no-doubt home run to Landen Olson in the fifth, and the Spartans threatened in the sixth by bringing the first two runners aboard with no outs. The poised sophomore worked his way out of the jam, striking out two and finishing the inning on a flyout to prevent the runners from moving at all.
Howell relieved Sheaffer in the seventh to attempt to earn the save. He punched out his first batter before Forks loaded the bases on a hit by pitch, single and an error. With just one out, Howell fielded a comebacker off the ground and threw out the runner at home, and a fielder's choice on the next at-bat ended the game before Forks could inch any closer.
“It’s such a huge confidence boost to get through those tough situations. The more we face them, the more we get through them,” Gurnsey said. “We have to continue playing confidently .”
Rainier's season was guaranteed to see another day as it moved on to face second seed Napavine Saturday afternoon in the quarterfinals, where the Mountaineers lost 10-9. The Mountaineers will head to the consolation bracket and face fourth seed Toutle Lake on Tuesday at Adna High School.
