A very warm spring afternoon was the backdrop for an exciting 2009 3A state quarterfinal game in Rainier. A highly anticipated showdown between pitchers Raeanne Hanks of Rainier and Molly Hockema of Gold Beach was all that it was hyped to be. Hanks fired a 3 hit gem, finishing with 11 strikeouts, 4 walks, and 1 hit batter. Hockema countered with a 5 hit dandy, gathering 6 strikeouts and an impressive 0 walks. The difference was that Rainier has a Mollee of their own, and she had Raeanne's back. Her 2 run shot over the center field fence in the 3^rd inning put Rainier ahead for good, and from her shortstop position she had 3 heart-stopping grounders for outs in the last 2 innings - including the final out of the game.

The game began with a strikeout by Hanks, followed by an 8 pitch battle for a walk to centerfielder L. McDonald. Hanks gathered strikeout number 2, and McDonald stole 2^nd, before a single into shallow right by Hockema scored McDonald. Hanks battled back and got strikeout number 3 to end the inning for Gold Beach.

Rainier began with a groundout to 2^nd by Mollee Schwegler, and right fielder Zaschia Walker followed with a fly out to center. Hockema coaxed a groundout to 3^rd out of catcher Bailey Jackson to make short work of Rainier's half and maintain a 1-0 Gold beach lead.

The top of the second began with a walk to 1^st baseman K. Zuber. After a couple of attempted bunts failed to stay fair, Hanks rang up strikeout number 4. A grounder back to Hanks started a flawless 1-6-3 double play as she turned and gunned it hard to M. Schwegler coming across 2^nd who then fired to Hailey Crape at 1^st.

The bottom of the 2^nd was another 1-2-3 inning for Hockema. She got R. Hanks to fly out to right fielder C. Bontono, and her sister center fielder Cassie Hanks grounded out to shortstop K. Zuber. Strikeout number 1 for Hockema ended the 2^nd with Gold Beach still protecting a 1-0 lead.

The Gold Beach 3^rd began with right fielder Bontono facing an 0-2 count, but taking a inside pitch off the thigh to get on. Strikeout number 5 put 1 out in the books, and after Bontono scampered to 2^nd on a passed ball, McDonald flew out to left. A deep fly to right field had the crowd holding their breath as right fielder Zaschia Walker slipped and fell, but she held on to the ball for the 3^rd out.

Rainier's half began with a 3^rd baseman Heather "Choppy" Crape single that broke the ice. Michelle Pritchard subbed in for Crape, and then Hockema dug down and recorded strikeouts number 2 and 3, bringing up shortstop Mollee Schwegler with 1 on and 2 out. She put the first pitch over the center field fence to breathe life into the Columbians and give them a 2-1 lead. Walker followed by reaching 1^st on an error, but Hockema ended the Rainier rally with her 4^th strikeout of the game.

Gold Beach battled back in the top of the 4^th, with Hockema pulling a walk out of Hanks to start it off. A single by K. Walling moved Hockema to 2^nd. A couple of stolen bases left runners on 2^nd and 3^rd and anxiety building in the Rainier stands, but Hanks mowed down the next 3 batters to stop the Gold Beach rally and give her 8 strikeouts for the game.

The bottom of the 4^th began with a sharp hopper to 3^rd by R. Hanks, but 3^rd baseman R. Hoenia made a beautiful stop and threw her out at 1^st. The next batter was C. Hanks, and she turned a 3-1 pitch into a 1 hopper off of the left center fence for a double. Hockema rang up strikeout number 5 for the 2^nd out, and then coaxed a pop out to 1^st for the 3^rd out to strand Hanks.

The top of the 5^th opened with Rainier still clinging to a 2-1 lead. Gold Beach began with a ground out to 1^st baseman Hailey Crape, followed by strikeout number 9 for Hanks. McDonald made it to first on an error, and then she proceeded to steal 2^nd and scramble to 3^rd on an errant throw. The threat was ended when a hard grounder with an ugly hop was snagged by 2^nd baseman Amanda Schwegler who fired to Crape at 1^st.

Rainier's half started with a strikeout and a pop out. With 2 outs M. Schwegler came up, and after hitting a foul ball over the fence, she and Hockema battled to a full count. Schwegler sent a screaming liner into center, but McDonald was waiting at the fence and made the catch to end the Rainier side.

The sixth inning started with 2 straight slow rollers to short that M. Schwegler scooped on the run and gunned to Crape for outs. 1^st baseman K. Zuber worked a 7 pitch walk out of Hanks to keep Gold Beach alive, but a grounder to A. Schwegler that was flipped to her sister covering 2nd gathered the 3^rd out.

Hockema got a fly out to center and a pop out to 1^st to start the bottom of the 6^th, but R. Hanks stroked a shot to left center and was held to a double by the bazooka arm of McDonald. C. Hanks drove her sister in as she reached on an error, putting Rainier up 3-1. Jordyn Aberle followed with a single, keeping the inning alive, but a fielder's choice ended the side.

Gold Beach had one last chance, but Hanks put them on their heels with strikeouts 10 and 11 to start the 7^th. A grounder up the middle for a single by right fielder K. Moore kept Gold Beach going, but a slow roller to short was scooped up and fired to Crape to end the game.

The win sends the Columbians into the semis, where they will play at Valley Catholic on Tuesday, June 2. Gold Beach finishes the season short of where they wanted, but they have nothing to hang their heads about. They are a great team. The team and their surprisingly large crowd (8 hour trip) were top notch competitors and enjoyable to be around. Hockema is a pitcher with a future, and McDonald is a serious force in the outfield.

VC knocked Rainier out in the quarterfinals last year, so this upcoming game should be full of some extra emotion, and I'm expecting an exciting game. Valley Catholic is quite an obstacle however, and Rainier knows that the title belongs to the 2 time defending state champs until someone can defeat them.

The Columbians reached the semis two years ago where they lost a heartbreaker to Willamina, and they've been eagerly awaiting another opportunity to play for a spot in the title game. The 3 seniors have vivid memories of that experience, as they were all starters on the team. They will finally get their shot. That's all they asked for.