Jesuit players celebrate with Olivia Hildreth after her two-run home run in the sixth inning. (Photo by Jeremy McDonald)

KEIZER – No. 13-seeded Jesuit needed almost all of an 11-run cushion Wednesday at No. 4 McNary in the second round of the 6A softball playoffs.

The Central Valley Conference champion Celtics (23-5) rallied for eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to throw a scare into the Crusaders (18-11), but Jesuit held on for an 11-8 win.

“They’re a good team and we knew we had to battle,” Jesuit coach Jim Speciale said. “The kids never quit, and that’s what is really awesome. We’ve been like that all season long.”

Adalyn Rhyne hit a three-run homer in the second inning to give Jesuit a 3-0 lead. When Olivia Hildreth smacked a two-run shot in the sixth inning, it was 10-0.

Down 11-0, McNary made a furious rally in the sixth. Autumn Siegel hit a two-run homer, Violet Siegel ripped a two-run double and Ashlyn Wittnebel drove in two runs with a single during the surge as the Celtics closed within 11-8.

“It came from the girls' heart and dedication,” McNary coach Briana Brewer said. “We have a tough offense and you can’t go through our lineup too many times without them all hitting. Even if it’s not the big hit, we always preach that anything could happen when we have one out left and the girls never give up.”

The Celtics were unable to complete the comeback, though, as Jesuit closed out the win and secured a spot in Friday's quarterfinals against Metro League rival Mountainside. The Crusaders dropped both games against Metro champion Mountainside this season, falling 3-2 and 5-1.

Jesuit had 13 hits off Wittnebel. Rhyne went 2 for 3 with a home run and five RBIs and Hildreth went 3 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs. Mason Rethwell and Liz Jacobs each doubled and had two hits.

Rhyne pitched the first 5 2/3 innings, giving up seven runs, before yielding to Makena Boynay, who allowed one run in relief.

-- Jeremy McDonald

Highlights from Wednesday's other second-round games in 6A, 3A and 2A/1A:

6A

No. 1-seeded West Linn handled Grants Pass 12-0 in six innings as Meadow Sanborn, Avery Wolf and Emily Rucker combined on a one-hitter with 13 strikeouts and no walks. Emily Sakys hit a double and a three-run, walk-off homer. Addison Southards went 2 for 3 with a triple and three RBIs. … North Medford, last year's runner-up, advanced by beating Tigard 2-0 behind Julia Edwards, who threw a one-hitter with eight strikeouts and two walks. Natalie Tlascala had a double and and RBI and Miley Braxton drove in a run with a groundout. … Skylar Hins and Jojo Appling combined on a two-hitter as Mountainside blanked Oregon City 7-0. Hins allowed one hit in the first five innings and struck out 11. Libby Wilson went 4 for 4 for the Mavericks, who had nine hits. …

McMinnville won 7-4 over No. 3 Forest Grove, its Pacific Conference rival. The Grizzlies scored four runs in the top of the sixth inning to take a 7-4 lead. Ariel Glynn and Dakota Mitsche had two-run singles in the rally. Glynn went 2 for 3 with three RBIs and five innings of two-hit ball in relief to earn the win. … Natalie Dimmitt went 2 for 4 with two doubles and two RBIs to help Glencoe to an 8-1 win over Lake Oswego. Kendyl Mishler and Izabella Howell also drove in two runs each for the Crimson Tide, who outhit the Lakers 7-6. Kalli Farrimond pitched a complete game, fanning three. …

Pacey Smith ripped a solo homer and Lucy Duval pitched a five-hitter with five strikeouts to lead West Salem past Tualatin 4-2. The Titans had only three hits and one earned run against Tualatin's Reese Strode. The Timberwolves got a home run from Sophie Jackson. … Reigning champion Sherwood, the No. 2 seed, rapped 15 hits to defeat Barlow 8-2. Daisha Cornwell went 3 for 4 and Presley Sarono-Ramos and Penny Brown had two RBIs apiece. Sarono-Ramos struck out 12 and allowed seven hits to record the win.

3A

Top-seeded Vale improved to 27-0 by dropping Willamina/Sheridan 10-0 in five innings. Freshman Sophia Navarrete pitched a perfect game with nine strikeouts and hit a two-run homer. Izzy Maag went 2 for 2 with a solo homer for the Vikings, who had 13 hits. … Cam Dalke, the state leader in RBIs, doubled and drove in three runs to help Scio down Echo 12-0 in five innings. Gracie Ferguson tossed a one-hitter with seven strikeouts and one walk and had three RBIs. … Harrisburg scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to pull out a 3-2 win over Burns/Crane. Brooklynn Huddleston hit a sacrifice fly to tie 2-2 and Tess Cudmore scored on a wild pitch with two outs to take the lead. Sara Bray closed out Burns in the top of the seventh, finishing with a four-hitter. Cara Goss-Bodily homered to give Burns a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning. …

Jasmine Morales pitched a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts and two walks as No. 2 South Umpqua topped Santiam Christian 10-0 in six innings. Shiloh Gilbert went 3 for 3 and Khylen Murphy belted a solo homer. ... Banks broke open a tie game with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and went on to eliminate Sutherlin 6-4. Addyson Kennedy hit an RBI triple and Naomi Brown, Khloe Long and Brooklynn Robinson each had two hits for the Braves, who had a 9-5 advantage in hits. … Bella Lopez went 3 for 3 with a double and three RBIs and Charly Upmeyer and Sophie Sweeney went deep for Dayton, which routed Warrenton 11-2. Upmeyer threw a four-hitter with eight strikeouts and one walk. …

Taylor Bradfield hit a walk-off homer with one out in the bottom of the seventh to lift Yamhill-Carlton over Valley Catholic 7-6. The visiting Valiants took a 6-4 lead in the sixth inning on a grand slam by Olivia Gobel, but the Tigers pulled even in the bottom of the inning on a two-run double by Ella Amerson. Yamhill-Carlton had a 10-3 edge in hits, led by Amerson (3 for 4, three RBIs). Bradfield struck out 12 and walked six through six innings before Josie Barker pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the Tigers. … North Valley scored single runs in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings to come back and beat Glide 3-2. Ryan Edwards' RBI single with one out tied it 2-2 in the seventh and Madison Scharpen scored the winning run on a wild pitch with two outs in the eighth. Edwards pitched five innings of scoreless relief behind Abby Smithwick.

2A/1A

No. 16 Country Christian/North Clackamas Christian stunned No. 1 Kennedy 16-7, rallying from a 5-1 deficit by scoring seven runs in the fifth inning, three in the sixth and five in the seventh. The visitors had lost three previous meetings against Kennedy this season, falling 14-1, 12-2 and 12-1. Country Christian smacked 18 hits, led by Ellie Rhoden (4 for 6), Grace Colvin (3 for 4, double, two RBIs), Bailey Colvin (double, three RBIs), Addie Neely (2 for 4, four RBIs) and Cara Mulhern (3 for 5, two doubles, RBI). Kennedy, which had won 22 in a row, issued five walks and committed five errors. … Lily Langford went 3 for 3 with a double, home run and two RBIs and scored four times to spark No. 2 Weston-McEwen to a 9-2 win over Umpqua Valley Christian. Brielle Ward pitched a four-hitter with 17 strikeouts and six walks to earn the win. The TigerScots got 12 hits off Hailee Tabor. …

No. 12 Pilot Rock/Nixyaawii went on the road to knock out No. 5 Oakland 9-5. Gracee Hemphill went 2 for 3 with a home run, Autumn Severe went 2 for 4 with a double and two RBIs and Kashley Golden doubled and drove in two runs. … Heppner/Ione outlasted Nestucca 5-4. Olivia Ogden had a double, triple and two RBIs and Maya Payne got the win in the circle, allowing seven hits and fanning seven. … Host Perrydale built an 11-0 lead through three innings and held on to beat Grant Union/Prairie City 11-10, surviving a six-run top of the seventh. Isabelle Arthur got a strikeout with runners on first and second to end the game. Madison Gunther went 2 for 4 with four RBIs for Perrydale. Gracee Hueckman hit a three-run homer to draw Grant Union within 11-7 in the seventh. Both teams had eight hits. …

Regis used an eight-run first inning as a springboard to a 15-0, five-inning rout of Toledo. Macy Bohnke went 3 for 4 with a double and three RBIs and Hadley Foster drove in three runs for the Rams, who had 11 hits. Addie Bishop limited Toledo to two hits in four inning, striking out 10 and walking two. … Union/Cove fell behind 2-0 in the third inning before dispatching Powers 7-5. Karli Satterfield drove in three runs for the Bobcats, including a two-run single. Danika Bushnell doubled and tripled for Powers, which had a 9-6 edge in hits. … Kayden Byrum hit a walk-off, two-run homer with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Clatskanie a 10-8 win over Monroe/Alsea. The Tigers led 8-3 after four innings but Monroe drew even at 8-8 in the sixth inning. Clatskanie outhit Monroe 11-4 behind Joey Sizemore (3 for 4, double, triple, three RBIs), McKinsey Doyle (double, triple, RBI), Olivia George (2 for 3, home run) and Byrum (2 for 4, three RBIs).