The Jefferson West Tigers made it back to state for their second consecutive season, and they made the most of their opening quarterfinal matchup with a 4-2 victory in eight innings over Frontenac.

Emmie Dean set the tone early for Jeff West with a leadoff single on the very first pitch of the game. Unfortunately for the Tigers, Dean was later forced out at second, and Taryn Taylor was left stranded as Jeff West came away scoreless in the top of the first. Frontenac responded in the bottom half of the inning when Hayden Goodwin delivered a two-out RBI double to score Gracen McLauren and give the Raiders a 1-0 lead. Jeff West escaped further damage despite Frontenac leaving runners stranded on second and third.

Both teams were held scoreless in the second inning before Jeff West grabbed the lead in the third. Reese Stowe and Ashley Moser, hitting in the eighth and ninth spots in the order, both reached safely to start the inning. Sophomore Emmie Dean then drove in Stowe with a sacrifice fly, and Taryn Taylor followed with a two-out RBI single to score Moser and put the Tigers ahead 2-1.

The game quickly turned into a defensive battle, with both teams trading highlight-reel plays throughout the middle innings. Jeff West’s Emmie Dean came up with several impressive defensive stops, earning plenty of attention with her glove work. Frontenac eventually tied the game in the bottom of the sixth when Mia Bloom hit a two-out RBI single to score Rain Warren, who had previously reached base on an error.

Jeff West entered the bottom of the seventh under pressure after failing to score in the top half of the inning, meaning the Tigers needed a shutdown defensive frame to force extras. The defense answered the call. Emmie Dean opened the inning with another standout play at second base for the first out, and Schwinn took over from there by striking out the side to send the game into extra innings.

The Tigers came through hugely at the top of the eighth. Ashley Moser led off with a single from the ninth spot in the lineup, and Joslynn Sutton followed by reaching on Frontenac’s first error of the game. With two outs and the game hanging in the balance, Harriet Dean stepped to the plate after an 0-for-3 start. Dean delivered in the biggest moment of the day, ripping a two-run single down the right-field line to give Jeff West a 4-2 advantage.

Schwinn sealed the victory in the bottom of the eighth, recording her sixth strikeout of the game against Blakely Neigsch for the final out. The win earned Jefferson West its first state semifinal appearance since 2015 — the same season the Tigers captured the Class 4A Division II state championship. Current head coach Maddy Barger was a member of that title-winning team.

It is safe to say the Tigers are in good hands under Coach Barger. After ending the program’s 10-year state tournament drought last season, Jefferson West now finds itself with an opportunity to compete for another state title. Her toughness and energy have helped spark a resurgence within the program as the Tigers continue their postseason run.

Jefferson West will now face Southeast of Saline, the tournament’s No. 1 seed at 25-1, on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. The semifinal matchup will take place at Arrocha Ballpark on the campus of the University of Kansas.