Rita Tavita was in a groove on Wednesday, and West Jordan is two wins away from its first softball state championship in school history.
The senior didn’t give up a single earned run in 14 innings of the 5A state tournament at Valley Complex, and even though the Jaguars lost their first game to Bountiful 1-0, they regrouped behind Tavita to win the second game 6-2 to advance to the 5A championship series at BYU beginning Thursday.
West Jordan hasn’t won a state title in any sport since 2008.
“We know this is a big deal, but we also know we take one step at a time, one moment at a time, one pitch at a time. We just are ready for it,” said West Jordan coach McHailee Danner.
“We gotta stay focused on the right now. We can’t think about the past, we can’t think about the future. You know, we have to see what’s right now and just keep going and fighting for it.”
West Jordan’s opponent is also not used to the big stage. Salem Hills hasn’t played in a state championship game since winning back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014, but it backed up Tuesday night’s come-from-behind victory with another one on Wednesday as the top-seed Skyhawks booked their place in the state championship.
After beating Box Elder on Tuesday night on Leila Stevenson’s walk-off grand slam, Salem Hills overcame an early 4-1 deficit to beat Box Elder again on Wednesday 9-5.
“We just stayed composed. Even though they scored first, we went back and matched it,” said Salem Hills coach Kalab Stokes. “Every time we came off the field, the girls just looking right was like, ‘Hey, we got this. We got this.’
“The confidence didn’t waver, which is what we said about this team all year long. They just believe that they can do it.”
Game 1 of the best-of-3 5A championship series will be Thursday night at 7 p.m. at BYU. Game 2 is Friday at 1:30 p.m., followed by a Game 3 if necessary.
This will be the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
“It’s been 11 years since we’ve been there, and this has been our goal. We’ve made it to the final eight, this is our third year in a row, and just built on it every single year. And we’re just so excited that we’re going to have that opportunity to go play for the state championship,” said Stokes.
Before the first pitch of Salem Hills’ game, it held an on-field graduation ceremony for five of its seniors, including starting pitcher Keyana Murray.
She struggled a bit early in giving up a run in each of the first five innings, but her teammates responded with a huge fourth inning.
Audree Stokes had some big clutch hits throughout the day for Salem Hills, going 3 for 3 with a double and an RBI.
The night before in the win over Box Elder, Salem Hills hit four home runs in the win. On Wednesday, the Skyhawks didn’t have any but got on base with singles and walks to keep the pressure on Box Elder.
Leading 6-4 after four innings, Salem Hills gave up a run in the fifth but responded with three in the bottom of the sixth to finish 3-0 in bracket play of the 5A state tournament.
“The composure and the resilience up and down this lineup is amazing. That makes us tough. It’s that, who do you pitch around in our lineup? And that was evident last night, too,” said Stokes.
While Salem Hills was one and done on Wednesday, West Jordan had to work twice as hard after losing to Bountiful 1-0. Tavita pitched a great game despite the loss, as she struck out nine batters and didn’t allowed an earned run.
Bountiful pitcher Ella Miller struck out nine to earn the win, and also drove in the game’s only run.
After the loss, Danner made sure her players embraced the frustration before moving on.
“I told them to be angry. I told them, take a moment be angry, because that’s rough. We worked so hard, but the thing is, we’re not done. You know, we have such a fighting spirit that you guys have to get together and do whatever you can to turn the page and get hungry,” said Danner, who graduated from Bountiful in 2018.
The Jaguars jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning and then added five more runs in the fourth inning on a big home run by Arianna Fjelstead.
Tavita finished the second game with six strikeouts in the win.
Thursday won’t be Tavita’s first time pitching at BYU. As a freshman at West High School three years ago, she was the starting pitcher in both games of its 6A state championship series against Riverton, which it lost 2-0.
Here’s a recap of all the Wednesday 5A state tournament scores:
5A Playoffs
Box Elder 13, Olympus 4
Box Elder (27-4) eliminated Olympus (21-4) in a nonregion 5A playoffs game, winning 13-4. After a scoreless start, Box Elder surged ahead with an eight-run third inning and added five more in the sixth. Olympus managed to score one run in the fourth and three in the fifth, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the gap. Kennadie Blackmer doubled twice to lead the Bees.
Bountiful 4, Maple Mountain 0
Bountiful (27-5) took a commanding early lead and secured a 4-0 victory over Maple Mountain (21-9) in the 5A elimination game. The Redhawks managed one run in the first inning and three in the second. Ella Miller led the way for Bountiful, striking out four, while Kamryn Rasmussen and Isabeau Hoff each added a double.
Salem Hills 9, Box Elder 5
With a decisive performance at the plate, Salem Hills (26-4) defeated Box Elder (28-4) 9-5 to advance to the 5A state championship series. Falling behind early, Salem Hills rallied with a five-run third inning and capped off its win with three more runs in the sixth. Box Elder managed to gain momentum with a run in each of the first four innings before Salem Hills’ late game surge sealed the nonregion victory.
Bountiful 1, West Jordan 0
In a gripping 5A Playoff matchup, Bountiful (29-5) beat West Jordan (21-4) 1-0, forcing an “if necessary” game with the Jaguars for a spot in the championship series. Ella Miller showcased her talents, securing the win for Bountiful with nine strikeouts. West Jordan’s Rita Tavita also delivered a strong performance on the mound with nine strikeouts, but the Redhawks’ decisive run in the third inning proved to be the game-winner.
West Jordan 6, Bountiful 2
West Jordan (22-4) secured a spot in the 5A state championship series with a 6-2 victory over Bountiful (29-6). A Fjeldstead’s homer in the fourth inning contributed significantly to West Jordan’s five-run surge. Bountiful responded with two runs in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough to bridge the gap. Despite registering eight hits, Bountiful’s efforts were marred by three errors, while West Jordan capitalized with timely hitting and solid pitching from Rita Tavita, who recorded six strikeouts.