SEATTLE – The Spartans came up big in two must-win games to advance to the 2016 State 3A Softball Championships in Lacey this weekend.

Bainbridge punched its ticket to state — its 10th trip to the championship tourney in a row — with a thrilling 4-3 win over Ballard in nine innings during the Spartans’ final game in the SeaKing District tournament in Seattle late last week.

The Spartans tied the game against the Beavers with three runs in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI single by Malia Peato followed by a two-run triple by Maddie Loverich.

Bainbridge then sealed the deal with a two-out single by Kari Perry in the bottom of the ninth.

The Spartans had qualified for the district tournament by virtue of their third-place finish in the Mountain Division.

The trip through the Metro tourney was a bit tortuous.

After a 5-3 loss to Roosevelt, the Spartans faced Seattle Prep on May 10 and the Panthers took a 2-0 lead on runs in the second and third innings. Bainbridge tied it in the fifth with two unearned runs.

But Prep scored the winning run in the sixth on a bases loaded two-out single.

Bainbridge managed only three hits in the loss including RBI singles by Peato and Loverich. Peato took the loss in pitching a complete game.

The Spartans salvaged seventh place in the tournament with a run rule, 12-2, victory over Garfield in five innings.

Sara Colley came up big for Bainbridge, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Loverich went 3-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and two runs.

Fellow Spartan Kensey Baker went 2-for-2 with a double and three RBIs, while teammate Malia Reidhead went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs.

Coming out of the Metro Tournament, the Spartans found themselves as the ninth seed in the district tournament. It also meant playing a loser-out game against Seattle Prep in the first game.

Like their previous three games against Prep, this was another close one.  Prep scored two unearned runs in the first on a couple of Spartan fielding errors. Bainbridge got a run back in the fourth on an RBI double by  Colley.

Then came the Spartans favorite inning, the seventh. Peato led off with a single, Loverich grounded into a fielder’s choice with Peato safe at second on a throwing error by the second baseman.

After a Baker sacrifice moved Peato and Loverich to second and third, respectively, Megan Spray doubled to right field to bring in two runs for a 3-2 Bainbridge lead. Kari Perry then doubled to left to bring home Spray.  Olivia Ditmore singled to right to drive in Perry for the final run in a 5-2 victory.

Colley picked up the win in the circle with a complete game, allowing only four hits and no earned runs.

Next up was top-seeded West Seattle in a winner-to-state game. But the Spartans were shut down by West Seattle pitcher Gabby Wenn, the Metro League MVP.

Bainbridge managed just two hits in the 4-0 loss. Wenn struck out 11 Spartans in picking up the win. Colley took the loss for the Spartans, giving up the four runs on six hits.

Faced with winning two loser-out games in order to qualify for state, the Spartans knocked off traditional rival Holy Names, 7-5 last Thursday to complete a season sweep of the Cougars.

The Spartans struck first, scoring two in the fourth. A one-out single by Peato, a walk by Loverich, and a wild pitch put runners on second and third.

Baker drove in the first run on a fielder’s choice with Peato caught in a run down for the first out.

Walks to Spray and Perry loaded the bases. Ditmore singled in Baker with the second run of the inning.

Holy Names rallied in the top of the fifth, and scored three to take a one-run lead.

The Spartans returned the favor by scoring four in the bottom of the fifth. Colley doubled with one out. Morgan Lassoff walked, then Peato singled in Colley. Baker doubled in Lassoff and Peato with two outs, and Spray followed with a single to plate Baker.

In the top of the sixth, the Cougars scored twice to creep within a run.  Alyssa Costello closed out the scoring in the bottom of the sixth with a home run. Peato shut down Holy Names 1-2-3 in the seventh to garner the victory in relief of Colley.

The win set up a showdown with Ballard for the fifth and last seed into the state tournament (Juanita, Lake Washington, Eastside Catholic and West Seattle also qualified for state).

Ballard scored one run in the first and two in the fifth to take a 3-0 lead over the Spartans.

Bainbridge struggled early at the plate; an error by Ballard and a Loverich double resulted in their only two base runners on in the first four innings.

The Spartans picked up the pace in the fifth and sixth, loading the bases with one out in the fifth, and getting base runners to second and third also with one out in the sixth.

Unfortunately, the Spartans failed to score either inning.

Then came the seventh inning magic.

Ditmore led off with a walk, Costello sacrificed Ditmore to second. A walk to Colley and a wild pitch put runners on second and third.

Peato followed with an infield single in the hole between third and short, just beating the throw as Ditmore scored. Loverich then tripled down the right field line to drive in Colley and Peato to tie the game.

The ninth inning brought the international tie breaker into play — the last out of the previous inning is placed on second base to begin the inning.

In Ballard’s half of the inning, the Beavers moved the runner to third with one out.

The next batter hit a long fly ball toward right center on which Perry made a nice running catch (one of several in the game for the Spartan). The runner at third, probably thinking the ball was going to fall in for a hit, did not tag up, and she ended up having to return to third. Ballard did not score as Colley got the next out on an infield pop fly.

In the bottom of the ninth, Lassoff started on second and was sacrificed to third by Peato. Ballard then intentionally walked Loverich and Baker to load the bases with one out. Spray struck out, but Perry proved to be both the defensive and offensive hero of the ninth by looping a single into short left field to score Lassoff with the game winning and state berth securing run.

Colley was magnificent again in the circle, pitching a nine inning complete game. She gave up just the three runs on six hits.

The Spartans will now trek to Lacey for their 11th appearance in the state tournament.

Bainbridge will face Meadowdale in a 9 a.m. Friday game at the start of the state tournament.

The 3A tournament will be held once again at the Regional Athletic Complex in Lacey.