High school baseball: State tournament roundup
SATURDAY (MAY 28)
2A
NO. 9 W.F. WEST 9, NO. 3 ELLENSBURG 6
W.F. West lost to league-rival Tumwater in Friday’s state semifinal but rebounded for a 9-6 win over Ellensburg to secure a third-place finish in the tournament on Saturday.
At County Stadium in Yakima, Bearcats starter Hunter Lutman lasted 5 2/3 innings, surrendering two hits and four hit batters with two strikeouts, per Aaron VanTuyl for The Chronicle.
W.F. West’s offense plated five runs in the fourth inning, sparked by Braden Jones’ run-scoring suicide squeeze. Logan Moore dashed home on a wild pitch later in the frame and Ross Kelley drove in another pair of runs on a single into center field.
The Bearcats (19-8, 10-5) secured a second-place regular season finish in the 2A Evergreen Conference and locked down a state allocation with third-place honors in the District 4 tournament on May 14.
W.F. West routed No. 8 Anacortes, 14-2, in the first round of the state bracket on May 21. Later that day, the Bearcats outlasted No. 16 White River in the state quarterfinals, 7-6, before dropping Friday’s semifinal to Tumwater.
MAY 27
4A
NO. 1 OLYMPIA 7, NO. 4 RICHLAND 3
With senior Rylan Haider on the mound for the Bears, there was an air of confidence that they would win against the Bombers.
And he delivered for his team by going the distance against the Bombers, throwing all seven innings while only giving up three runs. Although he pitched a great game, he had some bats behind him to get the offense going when they needed to.
“Haider threw another great seven innings. He is part of a deep staff. He’s had a great year, broken several school records, and was named the SPSL player of the year. Just a tremendous competitor,” coach Derek Weldon said. “We had a bunch of quality at bats, two-strikes RBI base hits. Evan Nicol was incredibly productive. He broke the school record for RBI and had a big hit to get us going. Taber Fast also had a two-RBI double.”
Heading into the championship game for the 4A state tournament, the Bears face a very familiar opponent. League rival Puyallup will be there waiting for Olympia with the state title on the line.
This will be the fourth time the Vikings and Bears met this season as well, with Olympia winning the last two. Their last matchup was a 8-4 win for the Bears on May 14.
The state championship will happen at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 28 at Gesa Stadium.
NO. 2 PUYALLUP 3, NO. 14 SKYLINE 1
The Vikings are hoping to recapture the magic they had in 2017 as that was the last time they won the state championship.
Now five years later, they are one game away from that after taking down the Spartans in the semifinals. Their last opponent?
Of course, it’s league rival and 4A SPSL champions Olympia standing in the way. This will be the two schools’ fourth meeting this season, with Puyallup only winning their first matchup all the way back on April 5.
However, they can even up the series and take the stat title with a win. The state championship will happen at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 28 at Gesa Stadium.
2A
NO. 4 TUMWATER 6, NO. 9 W.F. WEST 3
The T-Birds won their fourth consecutive game against the Bearcats this season, none bigger than this one to get to the 2A state championship.
Tumwater’s offense got to a fast start in the second inning. Junior Alex Overbay led off the inning with a double, then advanced to third after junior Graysen Reveal reached on an error. Sophomore Edward Marson then grounded into a fielder’s choice, which scored Overbay and gave the T-Birds the lead that they would not relinquish.
After a quick bottom of the second for W.F. West, Tumwater had their biggest offensive inning in the top half of the next frame. With two outs and one base runner on, Overbay again doubled to score senior Trenton Roy.
Reveal then singled, scoring Overbay and then Marson singled to score junior Briar Finney who came in as a courtesy runner for Reveal. The last bit of offense came from senior Jack Worgum, as he too reached base on an error, allowing Marson to score to make the game 5-0.
The last run scored by Tumwater came in the following fourth inning when a two-out single by Overbay scored Roy. The Bearcats would score once in the fifth and twice in the sixth, but couldn’t quite make their comeback.
The T-Birds advance to the 2A state championship where they will take on No. 2 Columbia River. Their game will happen at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 28 at County Stadium.
MAY 21
4A
NO. 2 PUYALLUP 5, NO. 7 EASTLAKE 1
Brett Ellingson and Hunter Grasser combined for seven innings of one-run ball and Puyallup secured a trip to next week’s state semifinals.
An “effectively wild” Ellingson start lasted four innings, and the junior pitcher surrendered only one run to Wolves hitters. Grasser entered in the fifth and twirled three innings of shutout ball.
“Grasser came in, and then shut the door,” said coach Marc Wiese.
Kai Halstead was “tremendous with the bat all day long,” Wiese added. Oregon State commit Mason Pike crushed a double off of the center field wall that gave Puyallup a 5-0 lead.
“He’d been struggling.” Wiese said of Pike. “Big-time shot in the arm. He’s a special player.”
Viking defenders “came through” in Puyallup’s second win Saturday, Wiese said. Noah Fields made a stellar catch in right field with the bases loaded to halt a Wolves rally.
Noah Weintraub plated Eastlake’s only run with a solo homer in the fourth.
Puyallup blanked No. 15 Bothell, 6-0, in the tournament’s opening round. Ace starter Adam Brooks battled back spasms but threw a complete-game shutout to send the Vikings to the quarterfinals.
“He just battled,” Wiese said. “He just competed every pitch. I’m so proud of him. He’s our ace. He’s our guy, and he got us that first game. I think he only had one or two strikeouts, but man, I just can’t say enough about that kid.”
In that game, Puyallup took an early lead on Halstead’s first-inning RBI single. The Vikings added three more in the second — jump started by an airmailed pickoff move to third base from Bothell’s starter — and coasted behind Brooks’ gem.
No. 2 Puyallup gets No. 14 Skyline in next Friday’s state semifinal, which sets up a prime opportunity for a state-championship appearance. If the Vikings make the final, they’ll get the winner of the other semifinal meeting between No. 1 Olympia and No. 4 Richland.
NO. 11 SUMNER 3, NO. 6 KAMIAKIN 1
Jacob Bresnahan twirled six innings of one-run ball and Sumner advanced to the state quarterfinals with a 3-1 win over Kamiakin.
Jaxen Mentink’s two-run single in the fifth inning gave Sumner a 3-0 lead.
Sumner advanced to the state quarterfinals but lost to No. 14 Skyline, 3-0, ending their season. The Spartans finished third in the 4A SPSL, securing their state allocation and sixth-place district finish with a win over Skyview on May 14.
NO. 7 EASTLAKE 5, NO. 10 TAHOMA 2
Eastlake outlasted Tahoma, 5-2, and eliminated the Bears in the first round of the state tournament.
Tahoma (16-7, 15-5) captured second place in the NPSL and finished fifth in the District 3/4 4A tournament with wins over Kentwood and Skyview.
NO. 5 MOSES LAKE 5, NO. 12 CURTIS 1
Moses Lake sent the Vikings home with their win in the opening round of the 4A state baseball tournament.
The Vikings’ season ends with a 13-11 record.
3A
NO. 8 WALLA WALLA 3, NO. 9 BONNEY LAKE 0
Carson Jones whiffed six batters across a complete-game shutout and Walla Walla blanked the Panthers to advance in the state tournament.
Jones threw 101 pitches — 73 strikes — and surrendered seven hits and three walks. He worked out of four separate jams with runners in scoring position, and Bonney Lake failed to score despite reaching base in all seven frames.
Walla Walla pounced on the game’s first scoring opportunity when Noah Braunel scampered home on a fielding error in the second.
In the fourth, Tanner Swopes grounded into an RBI fielder’s choice, which extended the Blue Devil lead to two.
Andrew Hall doubled later in the inning, scoring Drew Coleman.
Bonney Lake’s Nic Lewandowski posted a 3-for-3 day at the plate, plus a walk. Braeden Fagnant added two hits.
Lewandowski countered Jones’ complete-game with six full innings, allowing three runs (one earned) with six strikeouts and two walks.
Bonney Lake’s season ended with Saturday’s loss. The Panthers (19-5, 11-1) captured the 3A PCL title earlier this season and secured fifth place in the District 3/4 bracket last week.
NO. 6 LINCOLN (SEATTLE) 8, NO. 11 PENINSULA 0
The Lynx downed the Seahawks’ hopes for a state championship run in their game on Saturday.
The South Sound Conference champions couldn’t get anything going, and now their season has come to an end with a record of 16-8.
2A
NO. 2 COLUMBIA RIVER 4, NO. 15 STEILACOOM 1
Sam Boyle stymied Steilacoom hitters and Columbia River advanced to the state quarterfinals with Saturday’s 4-1 win.
Boyle surrendered only a run to the Sentinels across a complete game, and struck out 11. He threw 108 pitches — 80 strikes — allowing only four hits and two walks.
Columbia River plated three runs in the second inning. Kaden MacDonald scored Henry Palmershein and Kaeden Buhrester on a double to left field, and Adam Deeney singled home MacDonald in the next at-bat.
The Rapids extended their lead in the fifth inning on Chris Parkin’s run-scoring single.
Caleb Bujacich put Steilacoom (14-7, 12-4) on the board and singled home Reese Widman in the sixth.
Steilacoom’s season ends after securing third-place finishes in both the 2A SPSL and the District 2/3 tournament last week.
NO. 5 EPHRATA 1, NO. 12 FIFE 0
Fife posted just two hits and lost in the state tournament’s opening round to Ephrata despite 6 1/3 strong innings from Trojans starter Spencer Willhite.
Willhite conceded six hits and one unearned run to Tiger hitters. Ephrata’s Garet Hagy smacked a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh after a hit batter and pair of fielding errors loaded the bases.
Willhite struck out three batters and walked one.
Chase Cretti singled in the first at-bat of the game, but was later caught stealing third. Judah Copeland’s single to center field in the sixth was Fife’s second and final hit.
Trojan hitters reached base in five of Fife’s seven frames, and stranded runners in scoring position in three.
Ephrata’s Winston Roberts started the game and tossed five-innings of shutout ball, striking out eight and walking four.
Fife’s season ends with a 14-8 record and earlier second-place finish in the District 2/3 tournament.
NO. 4 TUMWATER 2, NO. 5 EPHRATA 1
Jordan Hanson’s dominant outing and Tumwater’s 2-1 win propelled the T-Birds to the state semifinals.
Hanson threw 104 pitches across 6 2/3 innings, surrendering only one hit and one run — which was unearned. He struck out 11 and walked one.
Ephrata’s only run scored on a defensive error amid a bunt play, which tied the game at one in the third. Earlier, Tumwater’s Landon Roy doubled home Trent Roy to give the T-Birds a 1-0 lead.
Ryan Orr broke the tie in the third on an RBI single, scoring Brayden Oram.
The T-Birds won their first-round meeting earlier Saturday over No. 13 Shadle Park, 7-1.
Tumwater’s state semifinal game is on May 27, and they’ll meet No. 9 W.F. West.
NO. 9 W.F. WEST 7, NO. 16 WHITE RIVER 4
White River’s “Cinderella run” ended in the state quarterfinals hours after an upset win over top-ranked North Kitsap.
W.F. West defeated the Hornets, 7-4, and advanced to Friday’s state semifinal with No. 4 Tumwater.
MORE SCORES
4A
No. 1 Olympia 3, No. 16 Chiawana 1
No. 4 Richland 12, No. 13 Mount Si 2
No. 5 Moses Lake 5, No. 12 Curtis 1
No. 8 Issaquah 6, No. 9 Camas 0
No. 14 Skyline 4, No. 3 West Valley (Yakima) 2
3A
No. 1 West Seattle 4, No. 17 Stanwood 1
No. 2 Lake Washington 3, No. 15 Edmonds-Woodway 1
No. 3 Kennewick 13, No. 14 Eastside Catholic 3
No. 4 Auburn 7, No. 13 Bishop Blanchet 6
No. 6 Lincoln (Seattle) 8, No. 11 Peninsula 0
No. 10 Mount Spokane 11, No. 7 Lynnwood 1
No. 12 Mercer Island 8, No. 5 Bainbridge 0
2A
No. 3 Ellensburg 6, No. 14 Shelton 5
No. 9 W.F. West 14, No. 8 Anacortes 2
No. 10 Archbishop Murphy 3, No. 7 West Valley (Spokane) 1
No. 11 Enumclaw 2, No. 6 Lynden 0
MAY 17
3A
NO. 14 EASTSIDE CATHOLIC 6, NO. 19 SILAS 3
In their play-in game to get to the 3A state regional tournament, the Crusaders jumped out to an early 2-0 lead against the Rams.
After junior Chason Beltran reached on an error and sophomore Daxx Delucchi grounded out, sophomore Dylan Peay was hit by a pitch. That advanced Beltran to second base. Beltran would steal third base, but another error allowed him to score. Junior Charlie Powell then notched a base hit to center field and Peay scored to make it 2-0.
Despite both early runs given up, Rams pitcher senior Joseph Gutierrez settled into the game and held Eastside Catholic scoreless for the next three innings. The Crusaders would hold their lead until a Silas Rally in the fifth inning.
“Today, the boys came out really aggressive. We were hitting the ball well hard but it was right at guys, so we couldn’t convert anything,” said coach Ryan Linden. “We scored three runs in the fifth, but they found some ways to win. Joseph Guiterrez did a great job throwing, he worked ahead on guys and kept his pitch count down.”
The Rams’ rally began in the top of the fifth inning. Junior Caleb Wenz reached on an error by the Crusaders, scoring junior Colin MacMurray. The next batter, junior Hayden Luhring doubled down the right field line and scored two more runs and gave Silas their first and only lead of the game.
Unfortunately in the bottom half of the frame, Eastside Catholic answered with three runs of their own. They then tacked on one more in the sixth to make the score 6-3.
“They are a good team and kept us at bay,” Linden said. “Obviously it’s tough to go out on a loss and we want to continue to play. But I am extremely proud of them and it’s gonna be a huge motivation for next season, now that the younger kids got a taste of regional baseball.”
The Rams’ season comes to an end with a final record of 14-10.
NO. 15 EDMONDS-WOODWAY 2, NO. 18 GIG HARBOR 1 (8 innings)
Jack Beers’ walk-off sacrifice fly eliminated Gig Harbor and propelled Edmonds-Woodway to the regional round of the state bracket.
Tuesday’s seven-inning regulation ended in a 1-1 tie. Grant Oliver smacked a leadoff double in the bottom of the eighth, and scored the winning run on Beers’ fly ball, per Cameron Van Til of the Everett Herald.
Warriors starter Jacob Gabler whiffed six consecutive batters in the fifth and sixth innings, and plated his only run of support until extras. Gabler doubled in the first inning and scored later on a throwing error that gave Edmonds-Woodway an early 1-0 lead.
Gig Harbor tied the game on Brady Altman’s sacrifice fly in the third.
The Tides end their season after a district-bracket run that lasted until the final day of the tournament and resulted in a seventh-place finish and state tournament allocation.
This story was originally published May 17, 2022 at 10:34 PM.