ANACORTES — For the fourth time in five seasons, the Kalama Chinooks are headed to the Class 1A state baseball semifinals.

Junior Nick LaRoy took a perfect game into the sixth inning of a 3-2 victory over Friday Harbor in the regional semifinals at Daniels Field here Saturday. Senior Brandon Walker picked up the save in that win, then pitched a three-hit shutout as the Chinooks pounded Orting 8-0 to win the regional championship.

The Chinooks (24-2) play an opponent to be determined in the semifinals at 10 a.m. Friday at County Stadium in Yakima.

Kalama, which took third in 2005 and was state runner-up in ‘06 and ‘08, is still seeking its first-ever state title.

It has another shot, thanks in large part to its phenomenal pitching. Combined, Walker and LaRoy allowed four hits and had 27 strikeouts in the regional sweep.

In the win that clinched a trip to Yakima, Walker was superb, carrying the momentum he built in pitching a perfect seventh inning to preserve the Game 1 win. Walker relieved LaRoy after he threw one pitch in the seventh, and proceeded to strike out Friday Harbor’s cleanup hitter and its No. 5 hitter before coaxing a fly-out to end the game.

Against Orting, Walker had 11 strikeouts.

“Just a gutsy performance,” said Chinooks coach Len Hiatt, who has now led Kalama to the final four in each of his first two seasons. “A senior being a senior.”

That mantra applied to senior Jordan Sutherby, who belted a three-run home run — the first of his varsity career — in Kalama’s four-run fifth inning.

The only down note on Saturday for Kalama was the uncertainty surrounding LaRoy’s status for the final week of the season. The ace left-hander felt a twinge in his pitching elbow after uncorking a wild pitch against Friday Harbor late in that game.

On that play, LaRoy had to cover home, where he collected a throw from catcher Sean McVicker and tagged out an FH player attempting to score from third with the tying run.

That ended the inning. After throwing some pitches in the bullpen while the Chinooks were batting, LaRoy told Hiatt that his arm felt fine.

Then, after his first pitch of the seventh, LaRoy motioned to Hiatt and came out of the game.

“He will have it looked at,” Hiatt said. “Obviously, we are hoping for the best. We should know more by (Sunday) or Monday.”

LaRoy was Kalama’s designated hitter against Orting. He went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.

The Chinooks took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, scored again in the third and then blew the game open in the fourth.

In the win over Friday Harbor, LaRoy out-pitched Richie Ochoa, a senior with a full-ride scholarship to Washington State.

And the Chinooks showed no fear against Ochoa, striking for two quick runs in the top of the first. Robbie Neal led off with a base hit, took second on a sacrifice bunt by Walker and scored on a single by Robby Sanders. After LaRoy grounded out, Dylan Slunaker lined a single to center to score Sanders.

Slunaker singled to lead off the fourth inning, and sophomore Tyler Perryman followed with a bunt single. A throwing error on the play scored Slunaker for a 3-0 lead.

LaRoy had not allowed a baserunner and had 12 strikeouts going into the sixth inning. He struck out the first two batters he faced, then walked the bases loaded. Ochoa smacked a two-run single, and LaRoy threw a wild pitch while working against the ensuing batter.

SOFTBALL

Rockets nab state berth

CENTRALIA — Taviah’ Jenkins went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and three stolen bases as Castle Rock clinched its fourth straight trip to the Class 1A state tournament by beating Kalama 10-0 in five innings here Saturday in a Southwest 1A District fastpitch game at Fort Borst Park.

Later in the day, the Rockets blanked Toledo 8-0 for seeding purposes, and will enter the state tournament next Friday and Saturday at the TRAC Softball Complex in Pasco as the district’s No. 3 seed.

“The kids are excited and ready to go,” CR coach Jim Van Fleet said. “Our district is typically the toughest in the state, so we’ll see how things go.”

Danielle Nevers pitched the shutout against Kalama, allowing four hits and striking out eight. She did not walk a batter.

Jenkins also scored twice, and Maddie Klingberg (2-for-3, three RBIs), Megan Moore (2-for-3, RBI) and Ashley Moore (1-for-2) also played well. Defensively, Samantha Moore (catcher), Miranda Meredith (third base), and the middle infield of Lacey Seidl and Lindsay Melton were standouts.

Castle Rock scored five times in the fifth inning to end it early via the 10-run mercy rule.

Jenkins’ line drive up the middle in the fifth struck Chinooks pitcher Blair Wells in the forearm, forcing Kalama coach Mark Rea to take Wells out of the game.

“Blair was pitching pretty well up to that point,” Rea said. “We played them well. We came out aggressively and had our chances, but couldn’t get the key hits.”

Haley Bellows was 2-for-2 to lead Kalama (14-9), and Corie McDaniel, Jessica Stiffler and Felicia Hering each had a hit.

In Castle Rock’s win over Toledo, Brittany Keeling tossed four innings for the win, allowing three hits and whiffing two. Regan Smith allowed one hit in three innings and struck out five.

Kayleigh Klingberg was the star at the plate, finishing 3-for-4 with a triple, double and RBI. Jenkins (1-for-3, RBI), Ashley Moore (1-for-3, RBI) and Melton (double, RBI) also hit well.

Toledo heads to state as the No. 4 seed.

TRACK

Kalama’s Neiman shines

RAINIER, Wash. — Kalama’s Jacob Neiman qualified for state in three individual events and helped a relay team to qualify for state during competition in the District 4 Class 1A Track Championships on Friday.

The top four placers in each event qualified for the Class 1A State Championships on Friday and Saturday at Eastern Washington University in Cheney.

Kalama slipped past White Salmon 88-80 to win the boys team title, with Stevenson a distant third with 64 points. Winlock placed eighth with 26 points, followed by Ilwaco (10th, 24.5), Castle Rock (11th, 21) and Toledo (14th, four).

Neiman won the 100 (11.07), placed second in the 200 (23.47), third in the 400 (52.51) and teamed with Aspen Owen, Steven Spaude and Jake Clizbe to place third in the 400 relay in 45.41.

Also for Kalama, Wade Holter won the pole vault (13-6), Clizbe was second in the long jump (20-1) and third in the high jump (5-8), Aspen Owen grabbed second in the triple jump (39-10 1/2) and Tre Fess was second in the javelin (161-3). Ryan Chiodo was third in the 3200 (10:36.74), and Spaude was third in the 200 (24.07) and fourth in the 100 (11.87).

Winlock’s Josh Rose finished first in the 3200 (10:29.17) and second in the 1600 (4:35.4), and Jet Lawrence grabbed third in the triple jump at 39-8.

Ilwaco’s Jason Huntley won the 300 hurdles (42.02) and placed second in the 110 hurdles (16.82), and Tanner Weidner finished fourth in the 1600 in 4:44.08.

Castle Rock’s 1600 relay of Tyler Eccles, Jed Lomer, Cody Martin and Zeke Lomer won in 3:36.46, Eccles was fourth in the 800 in 2:05.77, and Jon Byerly was fourth in the long jump at 19-7.

Toledo’s Cody Scholerman, Austin Masters, Ronnie Neumann and Michael Parkhurst finished fourth in the 1600 relay in 3:39.53.

La Center amassed 126.5 points to win the girls team title, followed by Stevenson with 100 and Toledo at 82. Kalama finished seventh with 25 points, Castle Rock was ninth with 20, and Ilwaco placed 13th with five.

Toledo’s Alise Beaman won the discus (113-6), Ashlee Coffey was tops in the shot put (40-10), and Jeanessa Durham finished second in the 400 (1:03.05) and javelin (110-11). Kimberly Knight placed third in the 100 (13.48) and fourth in the 200 (27.59), Lacey Scott grabbed third in the long jump (15-8), and Lia Lucas was fourth in the long jump at 15-5 1/2.

Toledo also qualified all three of its relays for state, with Scott, Durham, Tiffany Tornow and Knight placing second in the 400 in 51.02; Scott, Emma Luhn, Tornow and Knight grabbing second in the 800 in 1:48.34; and Durham, Luhn, Tornow and Jenny Martin in the 1600 in 4:16.52.

Kalama’s Jill Campbell was second in the long jump (16-feet), Macy Bottoroff placed fourth in the 400 (1:05.11), Meghan Mayfield, Bottoroff, Brenna Mayfield and Campbell were fourth in the 400 relay in 52.33, and Bottoroff, Mayfield, Campbell and Taylor Wood were fourth in the 800 relay in 1:50.53.

Castle Rock’s Emmy Dolan, Kristina Biava, Jacque Dent and Marissa Carpentier won the 400 relay in 50.66, and Dolan was third in the triple jump at 32-9 3/4.

Ilwaco’s Cameo Ulbricht grabbed fourth in the 800 in 2:31.68.

Cassidy sets school mark

WASHOUGAL — R.A. Long’s Kody Cassidy won the pole vault with a school-record distance of 14-feet-9 in the Class 2A District Track Championships on Friday.

The top four relays and individuals qualified for the Class 2A State Track Championships beginning Thursday through Saturday at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma.

River Ridge edged Tumwater 81-80 to win the boys team title, with Black Hills grabbing third with 77.5 points. RAL was sixth with 57, Mark Morris placed seventh with 45.5, and Woodland was eighth with 42.

RAL’s Arie Cottrell also won the won the shot put (54-10 3/4) and claimed fourth in the discus (142-7), Brian Jackson and Andrew Galloway tied for second in the pole vault (12-6), Angelo Folz-Edwards placed second in the discus (148-2 1/2), and Galloway was fourth in the high jump (6-2).

MM’s 1600 relay of Chase Bussing, Mason Wilson, Chris Reeves and Andra Boyko finished second in 3:30.94, Bussing placed third in the 800 (2:01.7) and 1600 (4:34.56), and Reeves grabbed fourth in the triple jump at 41-1.

Woodland’s Jordan Shaw qualified for state after finishing second in the triple jump (43-1 1/2) and third in the long jump (21-1 1/2), Elliott Moss placed fourth in the 110 hurdles (15.74), and Morgan Glessing was fourth in the javelin at 151-9.

Tumwater won the girls team title with 94 points, followed by W.F. West with 87 and Hockinson 81. Woodland was fifth with 62, R.A. Long placed ninth with 40, and Mark Morris was 13th with 21.5.

Woodland’s Alex Coons won the 100 (12.75), was second in the 200 (25.87), and teamed with Lauren Davis, Michelle Kooiman and Sammi Sturdivan to finish second in the 400 relay (50.34) and fourth in the 800 relay (1:48.37). Charity Arn was third in the long jump (15-6 3/4) and fourth in the high jump (4-10), and Mackenzie Ripp finished fourth in the javelin (114-11) and shot put (34-10 1/2).

RAL’s Shauni Harding won the pole vault (11-feet), Rachael Washington was second in the triple jump (34-9), and Dani Eggleston finished fourth in the 3200 in 12:14.46.

MM’s Amanda Wallis qualified third in the pole vault at 9-feet.

TENNIS

MM, RAL won’t reach state

LACEY — Tennis players from R.A. Long and Mark Morris had their seasons come to an end as they failed to win their respective consolation matches at the District 4 Class 2A Tennis Championships at the Bally Fitness Center on Saturday.

MM’s Lauren Salberg dropped her singles match to Mari Pace of Black Hills 6-3, 6-4, and Lauren Anneberg and Jill Isaacson were eliminated following a 6-3, 6-2 setback to a Centralia duo.

RAL’s Kelsey Craft lost to Aberdeen’s Taylor Relich 6-1, 7-5 in her consolation semifinal matchup.