Enumclaw star pitcher Markham tosses no-hitter in win over Steilacoom at Cheney Stadium
After five innings of Enumclaw High School’s baseball game against Steilacoom on Friday night at the Tacoma Rainiers’ Cheney Stadium, there was a chance Cooper Markham could throw a no-hitter in a loss.
Trailing 2-1, Markham still hadn’t given up a hit, despite a pair of walks, a passed ball and a wild pitch leading to two Steilacoom runs in the fifth.
Fortunately for the hard-throwing Oregon commit, he didn’t have to deal with the conflicting emotions that would’ve accompanied such a feat. Just the joy of winning instead.
Markham completed his seven-inning no-hitter and Enumclaw came out on top against Steilacoom, 6-2, thanks to three runs in the sixth inning and a couple insurance runs in the seventh. Except the one inning with some command issues, Markham was lights out in the performance, keeping Steilacoom’s offense off-balance from the first pitch.
“Just getting my rhythm,” Markham said. “After the first few innings, I kind of felt stuck. So just getting my rhythm.”
He pounded his fastball often. It started out in the mid 80-mile-per-hour range and ended the evening around 91, once hitting 93.
“He’s been on an uphill trajectory since the beginning of the season,” said Enumclaw coach Eric Fiedler. “He’s just getting better and better as the season progresses. He’s tough. He’s a tough kid. He doesn’t give you a lot of opportunities and you better make the most of your chances against him.”
First baseman and three-hole hitter Garrett Chavis went 3-for-4 in the win for the Hornets. Steilacoom pitcher Micah Bujacich, a UW commit, was mostly sharp in 6 1/3 innings of work, but Enumclaw was able to get to him a few times, including the decisive sixth inning.
“That sixth inning, that was a cornerstone inning for us for them to come back against one of the best pitchers in the state of Washington,” Fiedler said. “That’s the best high school slider I’ve seen in 28 years of coaching. Unbelievable.”
The frame included an RBI single for Markham, who was able to redeem himself after surrendering two runs the inning before on the mound.
“I had to do something for myself,” he said. “Guys getting on base, important. Guys in the field making plays, not giving weak (at-bats). I think it was a team win today.”
Former Steilacoom baseball player Reese Widman, who died last January, was honored on the big screen before first pitch. His dad Corey, Steilacoom’s coach, remembers watching Reese play once at Cheney during a club team game.
“Emotional,” Corey Widman said. “A lot of emotions from me and our guys. Maybe some guilty feelings. But it feels good. We took a picture with Enumlaw before the game. We understand there’s a lot more to this than just winning and losing baseball games.
“I think Reese’s passing and the way it happened opened a lot of eyes to what’s really going on with the youth of America. For me, I know he was here. You feel him. I love you, Reese.”
Enumclaw has been one of the state’s best teams this spring. The goal this year? State semifinals, at minimum.
“We’ve had this get-to-the-final-four barricade against us the last two years and we’re pretty intent on kicking it down,” Fiedler said. “So we’re getting better every week.”
