LACEY — Mike Millar’s Everett softball team had a 2-1 lead late in its 3A state quarterfinal game against Kelso.
Then the head coach’s nerves were eased a bit in the seventh.
The Seagulls used a six-run inning to pad their lead on their way to an 8-1 victory over Kelso at the Regional Athletic Complex in Lacey.
The win clinches a spot in the 3A state semifinals, where Everett will take on Kamiakin at 9 a.m. Saturday.
“Even with that lead — even with two outs and nobody on (base in the bottom of the seventh) — I’m not comfortable. But those big innings help a lot,” Millar said. “We try to stay in games as long as we can and try to take advantage of the opportunities. Those big innings have been popping up lately for us.”
After defeating Central Kitsap 3-0 in its state opener earlier in the afternoon, Everett took an early 2-0 lead against Kelso before the Hilanders got one back in the sixth.
The Seagulls responded quickly in the seventh, with the first six Everett batters reaching base. Erin Gordon, Megan Gordon, Rachel Christensen, Gabby Koehler and Erika Hall all drove in runs for the Seagulls.
Bailey Formon-Haynes was 2-for-4 in the game with two doubles and two runs scored, Megan Gordon (2-for-4) had two RBI and a run scored and her older sister Erin Gordon, who had a two-run double in the first game against Central Kitsap, was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.
“Erin Gordon hit the ball great today,” Millar said. “Bailey Forman had a couple big hits in that game. We executed some little things. We got some key bunts down in that last inning. It wasn’t all doubles and triples. It was some small ball sprinkled in.”
The eight runs were plenty for junior Sydney Taggart, who pitched all 14 innings for Everett (24-1) on Friday. In two games, Taggart struck out 16 batters, allowed just six hits and didn’t give up an earned run in the Seagulls back-to-back victories.
“She’s amazing,” Formon-Haynes said. “I don’t even know how to explain it. We trust Sydney so much. I just love being on the field with her and everyone else.”
Added Millar: “Her command’s been awesome. She’s been huge all season — especially in the postseason.”
Despite the heavy workload, Taggart was excited after the Kelso win and was ready to take the mound again.
“I feel really confident. I’m hoping I’m not getting too big of a head,” she said with a laugh. “But I feel pretty good. … It’s so exciting. I could pitch some more if I needed to.”
Formon-Haynes said the Seagulls were more relaxed in their second game of the day — resulting in more offense. But the senior still said there was quite a bit of pressure stepping to the plate in the state tournament.
“Every time you go up to bat your hands are shaking,” Formon-Haynes said. “You’ve just got to relax and cool down and that’s exactly what we did when we started hitting the ball. In our first game we had a lot of nerves.”
Everett’s reward for Friday night’s victory is a matchup against three-time defending state champion Kamiakin (18-6) in the morning.
The Seagulls are eagerly awaiting their next challenge.
“We might be a little sleepy but we’ll wake up when we get here,” Taggart said. “It’s amazing. I didn’t know how far we could go. Now it seems real. It seems like we can go all the way.”
Everett is in the state tournament for the first time since 2012, when the Seagulls placed second overall.
The 2015 team is hoping to top that mark.
“I’m really, really excited. Our team just never gives up on each other. It’s just fight, fight, fight,” Formon-Haynes said. “… We’ve made two of our goals already: Wesco champs and district champs. The last goal is state champs.”
At Regional Athletic Complex
Everett 101 000 6 — 8 11 1
Kelso 000 001 0 — 1 4 4
Sydney Taggart and Rachel Christensen. Kady Bruce and Nariah Morgan. WP—Taggart (15-0). LP—Bruce. 2B—Bailey Formon-Haynes (E) 2, Erin Gordon (E), Saydie Harris (K). Records—Kelso 20-4. Everett 24-1.
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