No. 19 Tigard softball scores three in the 7th inning to stun No. 3 Oregon City in state second round

Down to their final out of the season, the 19th-seeded Tigard softball team never lost confidence.

The team’s enduring faith was rewarded on Wednesday night, May 22, as senior Ella Dardis knocked in the game-tying RBI before scoring the go-ahead run in a 4-2 upset of No. 3 Oregon City.

“It’s a great feeling. Everyone’s excited, all the emotions are going,” Dardis said after the game.

Dardis opened the game with a leadoff home run against Oregon City’s star pitcher, fellow senior Lily Riley, but the Tigers’ offense went dormant after that. Meanwhile, the Pioneers answered back almost immediately, tying the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first on Elise Bean’s RBI sacrifice bunt.

As for Riley, the senior locked in after surrendering the early homer. Riley pitched all seven innings, eventually striking out 15 Tigard batters in total. The Pioneer standout helped her own cause, too, hitting a solo home run on the first pitch of the second inning to put Oregon City up 2-1.

The teams then traded zeroes on the scoreboard until the final inning, with Tigard’s Avery Rust excelling in the pitcher’s circle. Rust struck out 10 batters while pitching a complete game for the Tigers.

“Avery Rust has been pitching the last two games, and she’s been doing absolutely amazing,” said Dardis, whose defensive skills were also on display with a diving catch in foul territory to end the fifth inning.

Coming into the game, Rust had an inkling things might go Tigard’s way — despite the team’s 0-3 record this year against the Pioneers.

“Before the game, I had this feeling like maybe we’ll get this one,” the junior said. “We all knew what we were expecting — good pitching, and Lily (Riley) threw amazing — but it was just a mental switch. We really wanted to beat them since we’d lost three times.”

Nevertheless, the game looked in grave doubt for the Tigers in the top of the seventh. Tigard’s Ava Hernandez managed to reach base, but two Riley strikeouts put the visitors’ backs up against the wall.

Enter Dardis, who entered the batter’s box for what could have been her final at-bat as a Tiger.

“I knew this game was ‘win or you’re done for the year,’” the senior said. “It’s my final year, so I just went in confident and knew I had to do my best. I put the work in, let’s see it now.”

That approach helped Dardis hit her early home run, and it paid off again down the stretch. The senior rocketed a ball to centerfield over the outstretched glove of Oregon City’s Chloe Grimmer to drive Hernandez across home plate.

Then, sophomore Kiarra Belli looped a hit into shallow right field to plate Dardis for the go-ahead run. The Tigers added an insurance run on the next at-bat when junior Claire Masters knocked Belli in with an RBI single.

“We weren’t hitting like we usually do, but I’m really happy we came together at the end and strung some hits together,” Rust said. “It was really nice knowing we were ahead and had an insurance run. I knew everyone was behind me, and I felt really confident.”

Rust closed out the win with a 1-2-3 inning, capped off by Belli’s highlight-reel dive for a grounder, followed by a quick flip to first base for the final out. With that, the Tiger dugout emptied onto the field at Oregon City High School for a joyous celebration.

This Tigard team has grown closer throughout the season, Dardis explained, and that bond ultimately pushed the Tigers past its daunting rivals when it mattered most.

“We really trust each other,” Dardis said. “We’re really close in and out of softball, and we just trusted that we could get the job done.”

Now, Tigard will face No. 11 Southridge in the state quarterfinals on May 24.

“I just want to see how far we can go,” Rust said. “I’m really excited to play Southridge, and we’ll see what happens from there. I think that’ll be a really good game.”