Tahoma’s fastpitch team hasn’t lost a game this season to a South Puget Sound League North division opponent.

First the Bears went 16-0 in league play.

Then they knocked off Kentridge 18-2 followed by Kentlake 9-3 in consecutive loser-out games at the West Central District 4A fastpitch tournament. With the win over the Falcons — a game pushed back to Monday after rain swept through Spanaway the afternoon of May 17 then returned the next morning — Monday afternoon the Bears earned their third straight trip to state.

But the tournament didn’t start off well for Tahoma, which lost 12-9 in the first round to Gig Harbor. The Bears were down 9-1 at one point but tied it up in the bottom of the sixth inning with an RBI base hit by junior catcher Bre West. But, a Gig Harbor three-run homer in the top of the seventh sunk Tahoma, which wasn’t able to make the most of a bases-loaded situation in the bottom half of the inning.

Tahoma bounced back in a big way in the second game May 17 at Sprinker Recreation Center. Facing elimination, the Bears pounded the Chargers, breaking up a 2-2 tie in the top of the second with four runs followed by a three run inning in the third before things got ugly in the top of the fifth. Tahoma scored nine runs in the fifth and sent 11 batters to the plate.

Against Kentlake, a pair of freshmen led Tahoma at the plate as Mia Corbin went 2-for-3 with a double while Delaney Nelson was 2-for-3 with a pair of triples and four RBIs. Freshman pitcher Carley Nance pitched a complete game and struck out six.

Ashley Starke, a senior who will play at Green River Community College next year, was 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs for Kentlake.

Then Tahoma finished the district tournament with a win, a 4-1 victory over Olympia, to punctuate the experience with an exclamation point.

Corbin broke up a 1-1 tie with a single with the bases loaded then Nelson broke the game open with a single which drove in two runs against Olympia. Sophomore Maddie Scott picked up the win in the circle for Tahoma, throwing a complete game while striking out seven.

Kentlake, meanwhile, put together a 6-3 victory over Bellarmine Prep in the first game of the tournament before falling to Emerald Ridge 14-0 in the second round.

Tahoma will start off the 4A state fastpitch tournament Friday morning against Richland at the Merkel Sports Complex in Spokane.

“Our 2013 team has a huge upswing by winning the final three games in the district (tournament) heading to Spokane,” wrote Tahoma coach Tom Milligan in an email interview Tuesday morning. “In state, you have to hit on all cylinders with pitching, defense, and offense at the same time. Plus, a lot of luck helps. Endurance and attrition plays into day one, with three games to get through. I really like our chances to compete with the other 15 teams in state and look forward to our team playing at this level.”