The Baker girls basketball team played its best when it mattered most.

The Bulldogs broke open a tie game with a flurry of points in the final quarter, outscoring host Marshfield 18-5 to win 59-46 in a playoff game Friday night, March 7, in Coos Bay and qualify for the Class 4A state tournament March 13-15 at Forest Grove High School.

The Bulldogs (17-9) will play third-seeded Henley (23-2) in a quarterfinal game March 13 at 6:30 p.m. The teams have one common opponent this season in Class 5A Redmond. Baker lost to Redmond 63-31. Henley lost to Redmond 72-59.

After Marshfield’s Tatum Montiel scored the first basket of the fourth quarter to break a 41-41 tie, the Bulldogs dominated.

Molly Rasmussen made two free throws to tie it at 43, and Gracie Spike followed with her first basket of the game, a 3-pointer from the corner that gave Baker the lead for good, 46-43, with 5:37 left.

Marshfield’s Morgan Ainsworth made a pair of free throws with 5:19 left to cut the lead to 46-45, but the Pirates wouldn’t score again until the final minute.

Meanwhile Baker was scoring 11 straight points.

The game-clinching run started with Spike’s free throw.

Gwen Rasmussen followed with a basket inside, one of her four baskets in the second half. The first three, all in the third quarter, were all on rebound baskets as Baker used its height advantage to grab more than 10 offensive rebounds.

Baker’s leading scorer, freshman Molly Rasmussen, usually does most of her work inside the key, but she stepped out for a couple of long-range shots against Marshfield, including an 18-footer from the corner that boosted Baker’s lead to 51-45.

Lily Logsdon followed with a pair of free throws, and Ashlyn Dalton’s two free throws with 1:25 left gave Baker a 55-45 lead and all but sealed the win to send the Bulldogs back to the state tournament for the first time since Baker won the 2023 state title.

Logsdon finished the scoring run with a 15-foot jumper and another pair of free throws.

Baker was 9 for 12 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter, and 16 for 28 overall. Marshfield was 11 for 25.

“We executed the game plan well and had a lockdown fourth quarter,” Baker coach Jason Ramos said. “So proud of them. Rebounds and free throws win games.”

Ramos also credited Baker’s defense in the second half, particularly on Ainsworth, who led all scorers with 24 points. She had no field goals in the fourth quarter.

Baker also had a more balanced offense, with eight Bulldogs scoring. Logsdon led the Bulldogs with 16 points, including 7 for 8 free throws. Molly Rasmussen had 15 points, Gwen Rasmussen 10, and Dalton had six.

Just five players scored for Marshfield. Ainsworth, Montiel (10 points) and Gwyn Button (8) combined for 42 of the Pirates’ 46 points.

First quarter
Both teams started fast offensively. After Marshfield went up 4-0, Baker answered with a basket and a free throw by Molly Rasmussen, and Logsdon’s 3-pointer to cut the Pirates’ lead to 7-6.

Marshfield led by five points twice, at 13-8 and 15-10, but both times Kathryn Gentry scored to keep Baker close.

Marshfield led 15-12 after the first period.

Second quarter
Molly Rasmussen hit a 3-pointer to open the scoring and tie it at 15.

Marshfield’s Morgan Ainsworth had a 3-point play to give the Pirates the lead right back at 18-15.

Both teams then struggled offensively for the next few minutes, with neither team scoring.

Molly Rasmussen grabbed an offensive rebound, scored, was fouled and made the free throw with 4:01 left to tie it at 18. After another offensive rebound, Jayden Whitford swished a 16-footer to give Baker its first lead, 20-18, with 3:25 left.

After Gwyn Button’s basket tied it at 20, Baker scored six straight points on  Logsdon’s layin and two free throws, and two free throws by Dalton, to take its biggest lead, 26-20.

Morgan Ainsworth scored four straight to cut the lead to 26-24, but Logsdon scored inside on an assist from Dalton to give the Bulldogs a 28-24 lead at the break.

Marshfield was 3 for 9 from the free throw line in the first half. Baker was 6 for 8.

Third quarter
Marshfield’s woes from the free throw line continued, as the Pirates missed four straight.

Baker led 32-26 on Gwen Rasmussen’s two free throws, but the Pirates scored five straight, including Ainsworth’s 3-pointer, and she made two free throws with 3:22 left to tie it at 33.

Mary Schwartz’s rebound basket gave Baker a 35-33 lead, but Ainsworth answered with a 16-footer to tie it again.

Gwen Rasmussen then had three straight rebound baskets to push Baker’s lead to 41-36.

The Pirates rallied, though, and Ainsworth’s 3-pointer at the buzzer tied it at 41 entering the final period.

BAKER (59)

Gentry 2 0-0 4, Logsdon 4 7-8 16, Schwartz 1 0-0 2, Spike 1 1-2 4, Dalton 1 4-4 6, Whitford 1 0-0 2, Myer 0 0-0 0, G. Rasmussen 4 2-5 10, M. Rasmussen 5 4-7 15. Totals 19 18-26 59.

MARSHFIELD (46)

Stallard 0 0-0 0, Wallack 0 0-2 0, A. Ainsworth 1 0-0 2, M. Ainsworth 7 8-13 24, Button 4 0-4 8, Clarke 0 1-2 1, Montiel 4 2-4 10. Totals 16 11-25 46.

Baker        12 16 13 18 — 59

Marshfield  15  9  17  5 — 46