op-seeded Dayton High continued its perennial postseason presence by stifling a late Taft rally for a 4-2 victory Friday that propelled it into the semifinals of the Class 3A State Softball Championships.
The West Valley League will step to the plate wielding a big bat Friday with three quarterfinalists in both baseball and softball representing the conference at OSAA tournaments to determine the best Class 3A team in each sport.
Taft High turned a 286-mile, five-hour bus ride to the upper northeast stretches of the state on the eve of the game into a 12-2 five-inning victory over Stanfield/Echo and a berth in the quarterfinals of the 16-team single-elimination tournament.
Any concerns that “Taft got the shaft” would become the battle cry throughout Lincoln City were quelled late Saturday with the announcement that the top-ranked Tigers have been seeded No 1 in next week’s Class 3A State baseball championships.
The Taft High softball team was likely relegated to at-large status and a road game in next week’s State tournament following an 8-0 West Valley League playoff loss Friday to Amity at Dayton High school.
In keeping with tradition, it will take a tent or a hammock instead of a cape to cover all the contributing players on the Taft High softball team by the time the Tigers conclude play Friday in the West Valley League playoffs.
Scio High assumed the state’s No. 1 ranking in the Class 3A softball ranks Tuesday after defeating playoff-bound Taft 14-4 to conclude the regular season.
Four senior Taft High softball players bid farewell to the home crowd Monday in their final regular-season game, going out the way they hope to conclude their careers – with a dramatic comeback win.
Perennial West Valley power Dayton High gained the inside track to the league’s regular-season softball title Wednesday by turning back a last-inning Taft rally for a 9-7 home victory.
Fourth-ranked Taft (16-7, 8-1) will square off at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday against second-ranked Dayton (16-7, 7-1) on the road in a showdown of West Valley League frontrunners following a 9-0 conference win Tuesday at Willamina.
