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Forks’ comeback comes up just shy

Published 1:30 am Thursday, May 22, 2025

Photos by Lonnie Archibald Spartan teammates await at home plate as Forks 8th grader Brooklynn Rondeau rounds the bases with a home run against Napavine. Brooklynn also hit a two-run homer against Rainier in the second game during this 2B District 4 playoffs held in Centralia.
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Photos by Lonnie Archibald

Spartan teammates await at home plate as Forks 8th grader Brooklynn Rondeau rounds the bases with a home run against Napavine. Brooklynn also hit a two-run homer against Rainier in the second game during this 2B District 4 playoffs held in Centralia.

Photos by Lonnie Archibald Spartan teammates await at home plate as Forks 8th grader Brooklynn Rondeau rounds the bases with a home run against Napavine. Brooklynn also hit a two-run homer against Rainier in the second game during this 2B District 4 playoffs held in Centralia.
Forks freshman Kat Clark connects for a base hit against the Mountaineers.
Spartan first baseman Avery Dilley takes the throw from the infield for the out against Rainier on Thursday at Borst Park. Rainier ended the Spartans’ season with an 8 to 7 win.
Forks Kinley Rondeau lays down a bunt against Rainier.
Spartan Bailey Johnson with a hit against the Mountaineers. Johnson hit a home run during the first game against Napavine which defeated the young Spartans 13 to 3.
Rainier’s Gracie Lantz beats the throw to home plate, where Forks pitcher Chloe Gaydeski makes the play in a cloud of dust.

By Michael Carman

CENTRALIA — Forks’ season ended with the potential game-tying run stranded 60 feet away from home plate as the young Spartans couldn’t quite complete the comeback in an 8-7 Southwest District IV fastpitch tournament defeat Wednesday at Fort Borst Park.

Down 8-3 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, Forks took advantage of a number of Rainier errors in the field to cut the deficit. The Mountaineers’ defense behind starter Elaina Henry imploded with a trifecta of errors on routine plays and the Spartans brought two runners home on singles from Avery Dilley and Katelyn Clark.

With two outs, Eighth-grader Brooklyn Rondeau connected on a two-run home run in the seventh, the second run scoring due to an error to pull within 8-7. Dilley then reached third base when her pop fly was mishandled and turned into a triple.

But with Dilley on third, Rainier induced a groundout to close the game and end Forks’ season at 8-10.

The Spartans had no seniors on the squad and could return the entire roster in 2026, 17 of 18 of whom were sophomores, freshmen and eighth-graders.

Rainier 8, Forks 7

Rainier 1 0 3 0 3 1 0 — 8

Forks 2 0 1 0 0 2 2 — 7

Pitching

Rainier — Henry 7 IP, 8 H, 7 R, ER, BB, 9 K.

Forks — Gaydeski 7 IP, 8 H, 9 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 6 K.

Hitting

Rainier — Cruse 3-4, 3 R, 2 RBI; Naval 1-4, BB, 2 R; Anderson 1-2, 2 BB, R; Lantz 1-4, R, RBI.

Forks — Johnson 2-4, 3 R; B. Rondeau 1-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI; Dilley 2-4, 3B, R; Gaydeski 1-4, RBI.

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