Crest Wins Annual Feeder Game

June 3, 2010
Crown 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 --- 7 9 1
Crest 1 0 0 2 4 3 0 3 0 --- 13 15 0

Crown Battery:
Luke Taylor, Spencer Trautman (3), Trevor Dunlap (6), Spencer Brueske (8) and Ethan Yeo, Matt Stefansson (6).

Crest Battery:
Shane Yarnell, Jeff Gonzales (3), Ryan Beliel (5), Connor Lawhead (7), Joey Gale (9) and Devin O'Donnell, Peter Summerville (4), Ryan Beliel (7).

Winning Pitcher: Jeff Gonzales (Newport)
Losing Pitcher: Spencer Trautman (Inglemoor)

Crown Offensive Highlights:
Marc Dickerson (Inglemoor) - 1-3, 2 RBI
Matt Stefannson (Woodinville) - 3-3, 2 RBI
Luke Taylor (Woodinville) - 2-4, 2B, RBI

Crown Pitching Highlights:
Luke Taylor (Woodinville) - 2 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 Ks

Crest Offensive Highlights:
Josh Bircher (Redmond) -1-3, 2B, run
Jack Jajewski (Garfield) - 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI
Matt Kimmel (Redmond) - 2-3
Sam Nasci (Eastlake) - 2-3, 2B, 2 runs
Sean Penberthy (Skyline) - 2-2, 4 RBI, 3-run HR in 6th
Spencer Rogers (Issaquah) - Grand Slam in 5th
Peter Summerville (Garfield) - 2-3, 2 RBI, 2 runs, 2-run HR in 4th

Crest Pitching Highlights:
Jeff Gonzales (Newport) - 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 Ks
Ryan Beliel (Redmond) - 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 12 pitches

Redmond Wins 2010 KingCo Title

One KingCo team clinched a spot in the 4A state tournament, with two more having a chance to qualify on Saturday...

KingCo Championship: Redmond 6, Skyline 2
The Mustangs got home runs from Michael Conforto, Dylan Davis and Peter Herndon, as well as five strong innings from Davis on the mound to win the KingCo Championship, 6-2 over Skyline. Davis sputtered in the first, allowing 2 runs, but settled in after that, holding the Spartans hitless over his last four innings of work. Davis handed the ball to senior Ryan Beliel, who secured the win with two shutout innings. Redmond advances to the State tournament as the District 2/4 #1 seed, and will play at 10:00 am next Saturday (5/22) at Kent Memorial Park. Skyline will play a winner-to-state game against Evergreen HS from Vancouver this Saturday (5/15) at 2:00 pm at Woodinville HS.

KingCo Third Place Game: Bothell 5, Lake Washington 1
Senior Evan Hudson allowed just a run in six innings of work and Kevin McShane doubled and drove in 2 as the Cougars ended the Kangs season with a 5-1 win on Thursday afternoon. Lake Washington had their chances, but was only able to score a single run despite having 14 baserunners on the day. Kevin Knapp added two hits and an RBI for Bothell, who will travel to Kelso HS on Saturday with a state berth on the line. The game was the final one for Lake Washington in the KingCo 4A, as they will drop down to the 4A division starting in 2011.

Saturday (5/15) Schedule (Both games are winner to state, loser out)
Bothell (KingCo #3) @ Kelso (GSHL #1), 2:00 pm @ Kelso HS
Evergreen (GSHL #2) @ Skyline (KingCo #2), 2:00 pm - Woodinville HS

KingCo Final Four is Set

Tuesday's loser-out games saw the end of the season for two teams, with four surviving to play on the final day of the KingCo tournament:

Bothell 12, Inglemoor 6 - A seven-run first inning sparked the Cougars, as they eliminated Inglemoor with a 12-6 win on Tuesday afternoon. Bothell blasted three home runs, with Kevin Knapp, Michael Marriott and Brian McAfee providing the fireworks. Knapp also doubled and drove in four, while Marriott and McAfee each had 3 RBI. The Vikings had battled back to close to within 2 after 5 innings, but Bothell added a single run in the 6th before Marriott's three-run opposite field homer in the top of the seventh put the game out of reach. Seniors Scott Meyers and Ethan Yeo had two hits a piece, with Meyers and junior Peter Meuisi driving in a pair of runs for Inglemoor. The Vikings fabulous season comes to an end, finishing with an overall record of 18-5 and a Crown Division championship. Bothell moves on to the loser's bracket championship on Thursday, where they will play for the right to travel to Vancouver for a winner-to-state game Saturday.

Lake Washington 7, Issaquah 3 - Junior Wesley Russell allowed just two runs in five innings of work and sophomore Theo Alexander homered and drove in two as the Kangs knocked out Issaquah with a 7-3 win in Tuesday's night cap. The Kangs used a balanced attack, with eight different players combining for 12 hits and seven guys scoring one run a piece. Bob Cruikshank, Alex Donnelly, Chris Moore and Colin Tremblay each had multi-hit games for Lake Washington, who will take on Bothell in Thursday's third-place game. For Issaquah, senior Spencer Rogers was 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI and fellow senior Devin O'Donnell also had two hits and a double. The Eagles finish up their great season at 17-6.

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The final day of KingCo 4A baseball for the 2010 season is set. Both the third place game and the KingCo championship will be played on Thursday at 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm respectively. The third place game pits Bothell and Lake Washington against one another for the third time this year. Bothell won the previous two meetings and will look to complete the sweep. The winner will travel to Vancouver on Saturday for a State play-in game against the winner of the GSHL championship game between the Evergreen Plainsmen (13-8) and the Kelso Hilanders (17-3).

The KingCo Championship game follows, with Skyline taking on Redmond. The Mustangs won both contests during the regular season, but will see a different Spartans team on Thursday night. Skyline has allowed just two runs in two games against the powerful offenses of Inglemoor and Issaquah. Meanwhile, Redmond defeated both participants in the third place game (Lake Washington & Bothell) to reach the tournament final. The winner will be the District 2/4 #1 seed to state, while the loser will host the GSHL runner-up on Saturday for a spot in the 4A State tournament.

Skyline, Redmond Advance to Title Game

The KingCo tournament resumed Monday, with all eight playoff teams once again in action.

Winner's Bracket
Skyline 3, Issaquah 1 - The Spartans played giant killer once again on Monday, with senior Peyton Harrod one-hitting Issaquah in Skyline's 3-1 win. The victory moves the Spartans, who were 7-9 in the regular season, into Thursday night's KingCo championship game. Harrod, who missed the first half of the season with an arm injury, was masterful against the powerful Eagles lineup. He did not walk a single batter and struck out six, with the only blemish a solo home run by Issy senior Spencer Rogers. Senior Shane Yarnell was the tough luck loser, surrendering 3 unearned runs while striking out 8 in a complete game. Sean Penberthy was 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored for Skyline, who is guaranteed at worse a play-in game with the Greater St. Helen's League runner up for a trip to the State tournament.

Redmond 4, Bothell 1 - Junior right hander Zach Abbruzza picked up where he left off in the regular season, dominating another potent lineup as Redmond moved into the KingCo Championship with a 4-1 win over Bothell. Abbruzza has been tough on the mound all year long and Monday night was no exception. He allowed just a run on 3 hits while striking out 8, going the distance in the Mustang victory. He was also 3-for-4 with a double, getting help from Dylan Davis and Patrick McGrath, who each chipped in with two hits of their own. Jon Mercer doubled and Ryan Morgan tripled for the Cougars, who face elimination in a loser-out game on Tuesday.

Loser's Bracket
Inglemoor 7, Woodinville 6 - In the first of two dramatic loser-out games on Monday, the Vikings prevailed with a 7-6 win over Woodinville. The game was a back-and-forth affair with Inglemoor's run in the bottom of the sixth proving to be the difference. Emmett Maki was 3-for-3 with 3 RBI and also picked up the win in relief for the Viks. Jake Dammrose finished his high school career going 3-for-4 with a triple. Woodinville's season comes to an end with the loss, while Inglemoor will take on Bothell Tuesday at 4:00 pm in another loser out game, this time at Woodinville HS.

Lake Washington 5, Newport 4 (8 inn.) - Junior Wesley Russell's controversial home run in the top of the eighth inning kept the Kangs' season alive, as they snuck past Newport, 5-4. The home run was hit high down the left-field line and the delayed call could have gone either way. However, the umpires ruled that the ball hooked around the foul pole, giving LW the lead which they held in the bottom of the eighth. Fellow junior Bob Cruikshank was the winning pitcher, going 7 innings and allowing 5 hits and 4 runs (2 earned), adding 5 strikeouts. Joey Gale took the loss for Newport, despite striking out four Kangs in just two innings of work. LW lives another day, and will take on Issaquah in the nightcap of a loser-out doubleheader at Woodinville HS on Tuesday.

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Remaining Tournament Schedule (all games at Woodinville HS):

Tuesday, 5/11
Game #9: Bothell vs. Inglemoor, 4:00 pm (loser out)
Game #10: Lake Washington vs. Issaquah, 7:00 pm (loser out)

Thursday, 5/13
Game #11: Game #9 winner vs. Game #10 winner, 4:00 pm
(winner plays @ GSHL #1 on Saturday, 5/15; loser out)

KingCo Championship: Skyline vs. Redmond, 7:00 pm
(winner KingCo #1 to State, loser plays vs. GSHL #2 on Saturday, 5/15)

Semi-Finals Set in KingCo Tournament

On a beautiful day for baseball (about time!), the four first round matchups were played Saturday at Woodinville HS:

• Issaquah 5, Woodinville 0 - Senior Spencer Rogers struck out 9 in a 5-hit shutout as the Eagles topped the Falcons, 5-0. Mike Paulson and Ben Rosellini each had two hits for Issaquah, who broke open a 2-0 game with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Senior Spencer Brueske took the loss for Woodinville, while Jake Dammrose was 2-for-3.
• Skyline 5, Inglemoor 1 - Connor Lawhead went the distance for the Spartans in their 5-1 upset win over Crown Division champion Inglemoor. The Vikings took a KingCo best 14-2 record into the playoffs, but couldn't muster up enough offense off the Skyline right-hander to move on. Skyline, who finished the regular season at 7-9, moves on to the semifinals to take on rival Issaquah.
• Bothell 9, Newport 7 - Bothell overcame a 7-2 deficit, scoring 6 times in the bottom of the sixth inning to stun Newport, 9-7. The Cougars outhit the Knights 13-2 in the contest, and were led by junior Brian McAfee, who continued his magical season going 3-for-4 with a double, HR and 2 RBI. Newport took the lead thanks to some Cougar mistakes, which included hit-by-pitches and six errors. However, their bullpen kept them in the game, allowing for the late rally.
• Redmond 9, Lake Washington 2 - Junior Dylan Davis had the big blast in this one, a two-out grand slam in the third inning, propelling the Mustangs past the Kangs, 9-2. The game was scoreless until the bottom half of the third. An infield single by Zach Abbruzza scored the first Redmond run and Michael Conforto drew a bases loaded walk for the second run. Davis then hit a 1-0 breaking ball high into the trees over the left-center field fence, capping the 6-run inning. Ryan Beliel worked five solid innings for the win, leading Redmond to a showdown with Bothell in the semi-finals Monday night.

Four teams remain in contention for the KingCo title, and they will face off in Monday's semifinals at Woodinville HS. Skyline will take on Issaquah in the 4:00 pm game, with the league's two hottest teams facing off in the nightcap when Bothell takes on Redmond. The Mustangs have won four consecutive games, while the Cougars come in winners of seven straight.

The teams in the loser's bracket hold on to the hopes of the third and final KingCo berth to State. The third KingCo team will face off with the GSHL champion on Saturday, 5/15. The loser-out contests also take place on Monday at Inglemoor HS, with Woodinville and Inglemoor playing in the afternoon game, with Newport-LW to follow at 7:00 pm.

First Round Set - Playoffs Start Saturday

The KingCo 4A's "second season" starts on Saturday when the KingCo playoffs get underway. A quick look at the last regular season game, which was played Thursday night...

Inglemoor 5, Lake Washington 0 - Six Inglemoor pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout, as the Vikings completed a 14-2 regular season with a 5-0 win over the Kangs. Seniors Scott Meyers and Ethan Yeo led the way offensively for Inglemoor, with Meyers going 2-for-3 with a homer and an RBI and Yeo driving in 2 runs. For Lake Washington, Bob Cruikshank had his fifth straight multi-hit game, picking up two singles on the night.

So, the playoff matchups are set, with the entire first round scheduled for Saturday, 5/8 at Woodinville HS. You can view the entire tournament bracket here. A first round preview will follow, but here's a rundown of the schedule:

KingCo 4A Tournament - First Round Schedule
10:00 am - Woodinville (8-8, Crown #3) vs. Issaquah (12-4, Crest #2)
1:00 pm - Skyline (7-9, Crest #4) vs. Inglemoor (14-2, Crown #1)
4:00 pm - Newport (11-5, Crest #3) vs. Bothell (10-6, Crown #2)
7:00 pm - Lake Washington (7-9, Crown #4) vs. Redmond (12-4, Crest #1)

Rain Delays Final Seeding

With the KingCo Tournament set to start on Saturday, two playoff-bound teams are still trying to finish up their regular seasons. The Inglemoor - Lake Washington game originally scheduled for Tuesday has been rained out on consecutive nights. It is now scheduled to be played tonight (Thursday 5/6) at 8:00 pm at Lee Johnson Field. Inglemoor locked up the Crown Division over two weeks ago, and will head into the tourney as the division's #1 seed. Lake Washington clinched a berth in the playoffs on Friday, but their seeding is still to be determined. A Kangs win tonight would give them the #3 seed in the Crown Division (thanks to winning a coin toss with Woodinville), while a loss would drop them to #4.

Here's how the first round of the playoffs lay out:

Saturday, May 8th
10:00 am - Woodinville/LW (Crown #3) vs. Issaquah (Crest #2)
1:00 pm - Skyline (Crest #4) vs. Inglemoor (Crown #1)
4:00 pm - Newport (Crest #3) vs. Bothell (Crown #2)
7:00 pm - Woodinville/LW (Crown #4) vs. Redmond (Crest #1)

Redmond Wins Crest; Woodinville in Playoffs

Two of Tuesday's games had a direct impact on the KingCo playoffs, with the Crest Division title and the final playoff spot in the Crown Division on the line:

Games affecting KingCo Tourney

• Redmond 3, Issaquah 1 - Junior Zach Abbruzza stymied the Issaquah bats for the second consecutive time, and Redmond scored twice in the top of the seventh inning to break a 1-1 tie and clinch the Crest Division championship with a 3-1 win over Issaquah. Abbruzza outdueled Issaquah ace Shane Yarnell, allowing just three hits and an unearned run while striking out 8. The loss was the first of the season for Yarnell, who didn't allow an earned run in his seven innings of work. T.J. Whidby had two RBI for the Mustangs, who earned the top seed from the Crest Division and will play the #4 seed from the Crown at 7:00 pm on Saturday.
• Woodinville 5, Ballard 3 - The Falcons got three hits each from seniors Jake Dammrose and Connor Jones, clinching a playoff spot with a 5-3 win over Ballard. Senior right hander Luke Taylor worked 5 1/3 strong innings for the win, which even Woodinville's league record at 8-8. Oliver Guarino was 2-for-4 and Brendan Foor drove in 2 runs for the Beavers, who saw their playoff dreams end. Woodinville will enter the KingCo tourney as the #3 or #4 seed, pending the result of the Inglemoor-Lake Washington game tonight, which is scheduled for 8:00 pm at Lee Johnson Field.

Other Tuesday Results

• Newport 15, Eastlake 1 - Newport (11-5) enters the KingCo tourney as the #3 seed from the Crest Division; Eastlake's season ends at 1-15.
• Bothell 8, Roosevelt 0 - Bothell's win gives them six straight, and they will head into the KingCo tournament as perhaps the hottest team in the league. They finish 10-6 and as the Crown's #2 seed, will take on Newport at 4:00 pm on Saturday in the first round on the playoffs. Roosevelt finishes their season at 3-13.
• Garfield 5, Skyline 4 - Skyline's loss did nothing to change their standing, as they enter the KingCo tournament as the #4 seed from the Crest Division at 7-9. Garfield's season ends with a record of 5-11.

Week 6 KingCo Awards

KingCo 4A Baseball - Players of the Week
Week 6: April 26 - May 1, 2010

Crest Division
Player of the Week: Shane Yarnell, Sr.,, Issaquah
Senior Shane Yarnell picks up his second Crest Division player of the week award this season for his 9-RBI performance in Issaquah's 3-0 week. Yarnell finished the week 6-for-10 (.600) with a double, home run and four runs scored to go along with his 9 RBI. He was key to the Eagles' big victory over rival Newport, hitting a three-run home run and driving in six. Yarnell has also collected two pitcher of the week awards, and is hitting .435 with 4 doubles, 2 home runs and a KingCo leading 24 RBI in league play this season.

Also nominated: Jack Jajewski, Garfield

Pitcher of the Week: Spencer Rogers, Sr., Issaquah
The Eagles continue their domination of the weekly KingCo awards, with senior Spencer Rogers winning the pitcher of the week award for week 6. Rogers tossed a no-hitter in Issaquah's 11-0 win over Redmond, facing the minimum number of batters in 6 innings of work. The right-hander walked three and struck out 7 to knock the Knights out of division championship contention. Rogers, who was the Crest Division player of the week in week 3, sports a 5-1 record on the season with an ERA of 2.29.

Also nominated: None

Crown Division
Player of the Week: Theo Alexander, Soph., Lake Washington
Kangs sophomore Theo Alexander is the winner of the Crown Division player of the week for week 6. Alexander broke out in a big way, going 6-for-10 (.600) with three doubles, a home run, 5 runs scored and 5 RBI for Lake Washington in their playoff-clinching week. He also walked twice and stole three bases. In KingCo play this season, Alexander is hitting .324 with 9 runs scored, 10 RBI and 7 stolen bases.

Also nominated: Bob Cruikshank, LW; Ethan Yeo, Inglemoor

Pitcher of the Week: Spencer Trautman, Sr., Inglemoor
For his 5-inning shutout against Ballard, senior left-hander Spencer Trautman wins the second Crown Division pitcher of the week award for the Vikings this year, joining junior Dustin Doucette. Trautman allowed just 2 hits and 1 walk while striking out four to help Inglemoor in their 11-0 win over Balard. Trautman improved to 2-0 with a 2.69 ERA in league play with his week 6 performance.

Also nominated: Obidiah Taylor, Inglemoor

Playoff Outlook

Just one day of regular season games remain before the KingCo 4A tournament, which starts on Saturday, May 8th. While seven of the eight playoff teams have been determined, much is still left to be determined in terms of seeding into the playoffs. Here's a quick look as to how each division lines up as of today:

Crest Division
In the playoffs:
Issaquah (12-3)
Redmond (11-4)
Newport (10-5)
Skyline (7-8)

Eliminated from playoffs:
Garfield (4-11)
Eastlake (1-14)

Scenarios:
The Redmond-Issaquah game on Tuesday will determine the Crest Division championship and the top seed from the Crest into the KingCo tournament - winner take all. If Redmond wins, Issaquah will be the #2 seed and Newport the #3. An Issaquah win combined with a Newport win over Eastlake would put the Knights at #2 and Redmond as the #3 (based on a regular season sweep for Newport over Redmond). Skyline is locked in as the #4 seed.


Crown Division
In the playoffs:
Inglemoor (13-2)
Bothell (9-6)
Lake Washington (7-8)

In contention:
Woodinville (7-8)
Ballard (6-9)

Eliminated from playoffs:
Roosevelt (3-12)

Scenarios:
Inglemoor is the Crown Division champion and will face off with Skyline in the first round of the playoffs. Bothell has secured the #2 seed and will take on the third seed from the Crest in round 1. Lake Washington has clinched a playoff berth, as they would win a three-way tie between themselves, Woodinville and Ballard based on head-to-head records between the teams. Based on Tuesday's results, they could get in as either the #3 or #4 seed. Woodinville and Ballard face each other on Tuesday with the final playoff spot on the line. A Falcon win would secure the final spot in the tournament, while a win by the Beavers would force a possible one-game playoff.

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Here's a look at the round 1 tournament matchups:

• 10:00 am - Crown #3 vs. Crest #2
• 1:00 pm - Skyline (Crest #4) vs. Inglemoor (Crown #1)
• 4:00 pm - Crest #3 vs. Bothell (Crown #2)
• 7:00 pm - Crown #4 vs. Crest #1

Issy's Rogers Tosses No-Hitter

On the second-to-last full day of KingCo action, many story lines emerged, including a no-hitter in the most hyped game of the day.

Crest Division

• Issaquah 11, Newport 0 - In Friday's top ticket game, Issaquah senior Spencer Rogers tossed a six-inning no hitter, blanking Newport 11-0. The Eagles dominated the Knights late in a battle for Crest Division supremacy, scoring 4 times in the 5th and another 5 times in the sixth. Rogers allowed just 3 walks while striking out 7 in the KingCo's second no-hitter of the season (Newport's Cole Wiper had the first). He also helped his team's cause at the plate, continuing his torrid pace going 3-for-4 with 2 doubles, 2 runs scored and an RBI. Fellow senior Shane Yarnell drove in 6 runs, finishing the day 3-for-4 with a home run. Issaquah has a 1 1/2 game lead over Redmond, who can force a division championship game on Tuesday with a win over Eastlake Saturday.
• Redmond 10, Skyline 8 (8 inn.) - The Mustangs kept their division title hopes alive in dramatic fashion, hitting a walk-off two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to top Skyline, 10-8. Redmond forced extra innings with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Senior Matt Kimmel picked up the win in relief, tossing two shutout innings. The 'Stangs got multi hit games from Dylan Davis (2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI), Zach Abbruzza (2-for-3, 3 runs) and T.J. Whidby (2-for-3, 2 doubles, RBI). Kimmel and Michael Conforto also homered for Redmond. Jim Sinatro was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI for Skyline, who has secured the #4 seed in the Crest Division
• Garfield 9, Eastlake 8 - In a game that featured 23 hits between the two teams combined, Garfield held off a late Eastlake charge to win, 9-8. The Bulldogs led 9-5 heading into the final frame, but the Wolves clawed back with 3 runs in the bottom of the seventh only to come up short. Senior Jack Jajewski was 3-for-5 with an RBI and two stolen bases, while fellow senior Peter Summerville finished with 2 hits, 2 runs and 2 RBI for Garfield. Eastlake was led by Sam Nasci, who finished the afternoon 3-for-4 with a double, triple and 3 runs scored. Alex Boyce (2-for-3, double, 3 RBI) and Kelby McCorkle (2-for-3, 2 RBI) also had productive days at the plate for the Wolves.
  

Crown Division

• LW 6, Woodinville 4 - The Kangs fought back from a four-run deficit, helping their playoff hopes with a 6-4 win over Woodinville. LW's win combined with Ballard's loss to Bothell appears to have locked up a playoff berth for the Kangs (awaiting confirmation on the tiebreaker procedures). Junior Bob Cruikshank allowed 4 runs (1 earned) over 5 2/3 innings and also was 2-for-3 with a double for Lake Washington, who pulled into a third place tie with the Falcons. Senior first baseman Trevor Dunlap drove in 3 runs with a double and a single, while sophomore Theo Alexander completed an impressive week with 2 hits, 2 runs scored and 2 stolen bases. Woodinville's Jeff Wyner drove in 2 runs with a first inning double, while senior Luke Taylor was 3-for-4 with an RBI.
• Bothell 7, Ballard 6 - A hard fought battle went the way of the Cougars, as they stranded the tying run on third base in their 7-6 win over Ballard. The Beavers had just four hits, but made the most of them, getting the tying run within 90 feet before grounding out to end the game. Dain Gilbert and Gene Watson doubled for Bothell, who locked up the Crown Division #2 seed with the victory. Freshman Rory Graf-Brennan continued his impressive rookie season, going 2-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI for Ballard, who currently sits a game behind Woodinville and LW at 6-9.
• Inglemoor 7, Roosevelt 2 - The Vikings continued their magical season, scoring a 7-2 win over Roosevelt on Friday night. Seniors Marc Dickerson (triple, 3 RBI) and Ethan Yeo (1-for-2, 2 RBI) paced the Inglemoor offense, while junior Dustin Doucette picked four strong innings for the win. A 5-run third inning was all she wrote for the Roughriders, who got hits from Reid Martinez and Colin Noteboom. Inglemoor improved to 13-2 with the win, a full four games ahead of second place Bothell.
  

Friday (4/30) Preview

My apologies for falling behind a bit on the recaps. It's been a busy week! I'll be sure to get caught up over the weekend as we head into crunch time.

First off, here's a quick recap of the results over the past couple days:

Wednesday, 4/28
Bothell 5, LW 3
Inglemoor 10, Woodinvlle 2
Ballard 7, Roosevelt 3
Issaquah 6, Skyline 2

Thursday, 4/29
Newport 6, Garfield 1
LW 14, Roosevelt 8 (continuation of Monday's suspended game)

The current standings reflect that 6 of the 8 playoff spots have been decided, with Bothell the latest team to clinch a spot in the KingCo playoffs, which start Saturday, May 8th. The two playoff spots up for grabs are in the Crown Division, with three teams fighting for two spots. Two of those teams meet up this afternoon at 4:00 pm, when Lake Washington (6-8) hosts Woodinville (7-7) at Lee Johnson Field. The third team still in the running is Ballard (6-8), who travels to Bothell to take on the Cougars (8-6) at 6:00 pm. Ballard and Woodinville meet in the season finale next Tuesday, so meaningful baseball looks like it will be played through the end of the regular season.

In the Crest Division, a battle for supremacy between two long-time rivals takes place this afternoon at Newport as the Knights (10-4) host first place Issaquah (11-3) at 4:00 pm. The game has been designated "Coach Albo Day", a tribute to the long-time Newport head baseball coach Bob Albo. An Eagles win will put them one step closer to a division title, with Redmond (9-4) still alive. The Mustangs take on Issaquah in the season finale on Tuesday. Skyline (7-7) is firmly entrenched as the #4 seed.

Inglemoor Clinches Crown Division

Two of Monday's rainouts were played on Tuesday, with the LW-Roosevelt continuation being postponed until Thursday afternoon.

• Inglemoor 11, Ballard 0 - Senior lefthander Spencer Trautman shutout the Beavers, leading Inglemoor to the Crown Division title with an 11-0 win. Trautman allowed just 2 hits and didn't walk a batter in a five inning complete game. Ethan Yeo homered and drove in two for the Vikings, who will enter the KingCo tournament as the #1 seed out of the Crown. Mitchell Gonsolus and Marc Dickerson each had two hits and two RBI, contributing to Inglemoor's 4-run third and 7-run fourth inning. Freshman Rory Graf-Brennan doubled for Ballard, who fell a 1/2 game behind Lake Washington for the Crown's final playoff spot.
• Bothell 2, Woodinville 0 - Seniors Evan Hudson and Luke Taylor locked up in a classic pitcher's duel, with the Cougars scoring single runs in the fourth and seventh innings to win 2-0. Hudson went the distance, allowing just 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 7. Michael Marriott and Jason Smith drove in the Bothell runs, helping the Cougs pull into a second place tie with the Falcons at 7-6. Taylor was the tough luck loser, allowing just 2 earned runs over six strong innings. Sophomore T.C. Florentine had two hits, including a seventh inning double for Woodinville.

Crest Plays Monday, Crown Washed Out

Weather played havoc with the Crown Division schedule, postponing two games and leaving a third suspended on Monday. The Crest Division was unaffected however, and saw a new leader emerge following Monday's play.

Crest Division

• Issaquah 11, Eastlake 1 - The Eagles scored five runs in each of the first two innings en route to an 11-1 5-inning win over Eastlake. Shane Yarnell kept his record unblemished, improving to 6-0 in KingCo play and helping Issaquah claim sole possession of first place at 10-3. The senior right hander scattered five hits while striking out 5, allowing just a single run in the fourth inning. Yarnell continued to swing the bat well too, collecting 2 hits and 2 RBI. Spencer Rogers continued his amazing season, finishing the afternoon 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Connor Hanson drove in the lone run for the Wolves, who lost their ninth straight.
• Skyline 3, Newport 1 - Senior Peyton Harrod made a triumphant return to the Spartan rotation, pitching a complete game in Skyline's 3-1 win over Newport. The start was the first of the season for Harrod, who missed much of the season with an arm injury. He was brilliant on this afternoon, allowing just a run on 3 hits while striking out 5. He was aided offensively by junior Nate Litka, who was 2-for-3 with a home run and 2 runs scored. Trase Tam Sing hit a solo home run for the Knights lone tally. With the loss, Newport fell one game behind Issaquah in the Crest Division.
• Garfield 11, Redmond 8 - The Bulldogs jumped out to an 8-3 lead after four innings and held on, topping Redmond in a slugfest, 11-8. Senior shortstop Jack Jajewski had a huge game, going 3-for-4 with a double, triple and six RBI. Sophomore John Trupin picked up the win and also chipped in with 2 hits and 3 runs scored at the plate. Redmond's juniors Michael Conforto and Dylan Davis each homered in the loss, which left the 'Stangs a game behind Issaquah for the division lead.

Crown Division

• Lake Washington 8, Roosevelt 8 (suspended, top 8th) - In a game played through steady rain and mud, the Roughriders scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings before the umpires stopped the contest. The game will resume on Thursday at 3:45, with the Kangs having runners on first and third with no outs in the top of the 8th inning.

Week 5 KingCo Awards

KingCo 4A Baseball - Players of the Week
Week 5: April 19-24, 2010

Crest Division
Player of the Week: Dylan Davis, Jr., Redmond

Also nominated: Trase Tam Sing, Newport; Spencer Rogers, Issaquah

Pitcher of the Week: Shane Yarnell, Sr., Issaquah

Also nominated: None

Crown Division
Player of the Week: Brian McAfee, Jr., Bothell

Also nominated: None

Pitcher of the Week: Ryan Garrett, Sr., Ballard

Also nominated: Trevor Dunlap, LW

KingCo 4A Playoff Format

The 2010 KingCo playoffs start in less than two weeks on Saturday, 5/8. Here's a quick look at the tournament layout...

Tournament Format / Notes

• The top four teams in the Crown and Crest divisions qualify for the playoffs
• The entire first round will be played on Saturday, 5/8
• All games will be played at Woodinville HS, with the exception of two loser's bracket games on Monday, 5/11 which will be played at Inglemoor HS
• The two teams that win each of their first two games will play in the KingCo championship game on Thursday, 5/13
• The KingCo Champion will automatically qualify for the State tournament
• The KingCo Runner-up will host the Greater St. Helen's League (GSHL) #2 seed on Saturday, 5/15 for a trip to State
• The KingCo #3 seed (determined through the losers bracket) will travel to the GSHL #1 seed on Saturday, 5/15 for the final berth to State
• View the entire tournament bracket here.

First Round Matchups - Saturday, 5/8

• 10:00 am - Crown #3 vs. Crest #2
• 1:00 pm - Crest #4 vs. Crown #1
• 4:00 pm - Crest #3 vs. Crown #2
• 7:00 pm - Crown #4 vs. Crest #1

Playoff Outlook
Four teams have already clinched spots in the KingCo playoffs. In the Crest Division, Redmond, Newport and Issaquah have all locked up berths and are currently tied for first place at 9-3. Skyline needs just one win or a Garfield loss over the next four games to secure the final playoff spot.

Things are a bit more muddled in the Crown Division. Inglemoor is a lock for the playoffs, and has a three-game lead on the top spot at 10-2. Woodinville currently sits in second place at 7-5, with Bothell one game back at 6-6. Ballard and Lake Washington are tied at 5-7 for the final playoff spot. LW currently holds the tiebreaker, having swept the Beavers in the season series. Roosevelt is two games back at 3-9, but has games with the Kangs and Beavers coming up this week and can make a push by winning those two games.

You can view the full KingCo 4A standings here.