Busy week for area prep baseball, soccer, softball teams

It’s going to be a busy week for many baseball, softball and boys soccer teams in the area as playoffs are in full force heading into this week. Here’s how things look.

Class 4A baseball

With the West Central District III tournament starting on Tuesday, every 3A and 4A area team is still in it, although a few teams are feeling a bit stressed right now.

The Rams enter the week after already picking up a 6-2 win over the Chargers on Friday. Winners of 9 of their last 10 games, Rogers will look to keep its hot streak going at 4 p.m. Tuesday (May 10) at Heidelberg Park in Tacoma.

Perhaps the toughest assignment out of the 4A teams, Emerald Ridge and its staff will be tasked with keeping the bat out of Eagles first baseman Christian Jones (.444 batting average, five home runs) in a 7 p.m. matchup Tuesday (May 10) at Heritage Recreation Center. The winner moves on to the WCD III semifinals.

After narrowly edging out a 1-0 win over a tough team in the Conks, the Vikings get the Raiders to open the district playoffs. Puyallup will have to deal with hot-hitting Mason Dela Cruz (.414 avg.) when it hosts Jefferson at 7 p.m. Tuesday (May 10) at Kent Memorial Park.

Class 3A baseball

After the Panthers clinched the 3A SPSL league title with wins over Sumner last week, Bonney Lake’s Saturday started out alright with a 8-4 win over Auburn. But after Cody DeRosier one-hit the Panthers in the nightcap game, Bonney Lake enters the week facing a pair of elimination games to reach the 3A state bracket. The Panthers take on Hazen at 4 p.m. Wednesday (May 11) at Heidelberg Park in Tacoma.

The Spartans had the misfortune of traveling to Kelso High for consecutive seasons, and the results have been the same as Sumner split its games on Saturday. After earning a 16-7 win over Shelton, the Spartans were overpowered in a loss to Columbia River, 9-4, in the night game. The loss forces Sumner to a pair of elimination games to reach state.

Class 1A baseball

The Nisqually League is looking like the top division in the WCD III playoffs as the top three teams are still alive. If the Cougar defeat the Wolves, it will set up an all-conference finals, with Seattle Christian (11-8) facing Vashon (14-4) in the other semifinals. The Cougars play at 4 p.m. Tuesday (May 10) at Curtis High.

Soccer

The Rams are in a tough situation to open the WCD III bracket: playing a talented Bears squad on Tuesday night in loser-out game. Rogers will have to win two games to reach the state bracket. Rogers takes on the challenge at 7 p.m. Tuesday (May 10) at French Field.

After winning their third consecutive SPSL South league championship, the Vikings won’t have to play until Saturday, giving them a bit of reprieve. Puyallup will face either Jefferson (8-5-3) or the winner of the Rogers-Tahoma game. The game Saturday at 1 p.m. at Sparks Stadium is an automatic seeding game, with the winner the No. 1 seed and the loser No. 6 seed.

Softball

Softball is wrapping up the regular season this week. But if fans needs reason to go out to a game, Tuesday’s matchup of undefeated Puyallup (18-0) facing Fife (16-0) is an enticing 2A-4A nonleague finale. It’s Puyallup’s offensive barrage vs. the state’s top prep pitcher, Anna Kasner. The teams square off at 3 p.m. Wednesday (May 11) at Columbia Junior High.

This story was originally published May 10, 2016 at 11:52 AM with the headline "Busy week for area prep baseball, soccer, softball teams."