Final Four Friday

The high school baseball season comes to a close this weekend, with the State championships being played at all levels. The 3A and 4A semi-finals and championship rounds will be played at Safeco Field. In the 4A, the Newport Knights are the lone KingCo representative - they will take on top-ranked Richland at 4:00 pm. The night cap is between Puyallup and Tahoma, who knocked off LW and Issaquah respectively to reach the final four. The losers will play at 1:00 pm Saturday in the 4A third place game, with the 4A state championship scheduled for 7:00 pm.

Newport Advances to Safeco Field

Congratulations to Newport for advancing through the first two rounds of the 4A state tournament and earning a spot in the final four at Safeco Field. Issaquah and Lake Washington won first round games to give the KingCo 4A conference three teams in the final eight, while Inglemoor rounded out the KingCo quartet in the final 16 teams.

First Round Recaps

• Newport 13, Kentwood 7 - The Knights scored 4 runs in the second, third and fourth innings en route to a 13-7 win over Kentwood in the round of 16 on Saturday morning. Trace Tam Sing, a second-team All-KingCo shortstop, led the way with 4 hits, including a double and a home run. The junior scored three runs and drove in 5 on the day. Victor King also doubled and homered, while Zach Nasu drove in two. Senior right-hander Brandon Andreini went the distance for Newport, allowing 8 hits and 4 earned runs while striking out 8.
• Issaquah 7, South Kitsap 1 - Junior right-hander Shane Yarnell allowed just 5 hits and struck out 11 in a complete game victory, as the Eagles took advantage of 8 South Kitsap errors in a 7-1 opening round win. Miles Perkins continued his remarkable postseason, finishing the game 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while fellow outfielder Spencer Rogers singled and drove in 2.
• Puyallup 12, Inglemoor 3 - The young Vikings saw their valiant run end at Kent Memorial Park, losing 12-3 to a more experienced Puyallup club. Puyallup (also the Vikings) jumped out early with 2 runs in the first and tacked on 6 more in the second to put Inglemoor away early. Senior first baseman Erick Raynes doubled and drove in a run, while sophomore Mitchell Gunsolus was 1-for-4 with a double and an RBI for the Vikings from the North, whose season ended with a record of 15-11.
• Lake Washington 14, Central Kitsap 6 - The Kangs used the long ball to overcome an early 4-1 deficit, scoring 13 runs in the middle three innings of the contest to cruise to a 14-6 win over Central Kitsap. Lake Washington finished the day with a season-high four home runs. Senior first-team All-KingCo performers Alex Potts and Eric Folkers drove in 10 runs on the day, with Potts jump starting the comeback with a game tying three-run blast in the third inning. Folkers followed two batters later with his first of two home runs, giving LW a lead they wouldn't relinquish. KingCo Player of the Year Christian Kaiser was the winning pitcher and also went 3-for-3 a the plate, while fellow senior Blake Lively hit a three-run home run in the fourth.

Second Round Recaps

• Newport 7, Olympia 2 - Senior left-hander Colin Hering picked up on the mound where he left off in the KingCo 4A tournament, allowing no earned runs in a complete game victory as the Knights advanced to Safeco Field with a 7-2 win over the Bears. Hering, who took Newport to state with a shutout over Redmond in the second round of KingCo, allowed just 3 hits and 3 walks, striking out 8 on the day. The offensive stars for the Knights were the same as in game 1, with Tam Sing (2-for-4, double, RBI), King (2-for-2) and Nasu (2-for-4) led a 12-hit attack. Newport will take on Richland on Friday afternoon at 4:00 pm in the first of two 4A semifinals at Safeco Field.
• Tahoma 7, Issaquah 6 (9 inn.) - Heyden Johnson's walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth ended a run at three straight trips to Safeco Field, as Issaquah saw their season end with a 7-6 loss to Tahoma. The Eagles overcame a 6-2 deficit, scoring four runs in the final three innings of regulation, only to lose in heartbreaking fashion in the bottom of the ninth. Junior catcher Devin O'Donnell was 3-for-5 with a double and 3 RBI while sophomore Gavin Schumaker finished the day with 3 hits of his own. Issaquah finishes a great season with a record of 14-12.
• Puyallup 9, Lake Washington 5 - A seven-run third inning doomed the Kangs, as they saw their season end to the hands of the Vikings, 9-5. Lake Washington definitely had their chances but couldn't cash in, leaving 14 runners on base in the contest. Eric Folkers starred again for LW, finishing the game 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI. He finished his Kangs career going 5-for-7 with two doubles, two home runs and 6 RBI in the state doubleheader. Center fielder Spencer Wozeniak was 3-for-3 with an RBI and Dan Reynar added two hits and an RBI for Lake Washington. The 2009 KingCo champions end their season with a final record of 19-5.

The final four matchups are Newport vs. Richland (4:00 pm) and Puyallup vs. Tahoma (7:00 pm), with the winners facing off for the 4A state title at 7:00 pm on Saturday night. Best of luck to the Knights as they represent KingCo 4A at Safeco Field!

State Tournament Preview

The 4A state tournament kicks off on Saturday, with 4 KingCo teams among the final 16 that remain in contention for the state championship. Inglemoor, Issaquah, Lake Washington and Newport will take on teams from the Narrows and South Puget Sound leagues in the first round, with hopes of advancing to the regional finals with a trip to Safeco Field and the Final Four on the line.

Saturday's State Tourney Schedule

Everett Region (Everett Memorial)
Newport vs. Kentwood, 10:00 am
Olympia vs. Snohomish, 1:00 pm
Everett Regional Final, 4:00 pm

Richland Region (Richland HS)
Kamiak vs. Richland, 10:00 am
Kamiakin vs. University, 1:00 pm
Richland Regional Final, 4:00 pm

Kent Region (Kent Memorial)
Inglemoor vs. Puyallup, 11:00 am
Central Kitsap vs. Lake Washington, 2:00 pm
Kent Regional Final, 5:00 pm

Tacoma Region (Heidelberg Park)
South Kitsap vs. Issaquah, 10:00 am
Marysville-Pilchuck vs. Tahoma, 1:00 pm
Tacoma Regional Final, 4:00 pm

The Twitter feed will be updated as information rolls in. Good luck to all the KingCo teams in action Saturday!

2009 4A All-KingCo Teams

The KingCo 4A coaches got together on Tuesday night to select the All-KingCo teams for 2009:

First Team All-KingCo
P: Christian Kaiser (Sr.) - Lake Washington
P: Dylan Davis (Soph.) - Redmond
P: Adrian Sampson (Jr.) - Skyline
C: Nick Andrews (Sr.) - Eastlake
1B: Eric Folkers (Sr.) - Lake Washington
2B: Josh Bircher (Jr.) - Redmond
SS: Alex Potts (Sr.) - Lake Washington
3B: Sean Murphy (Sr.) - Woodinville
OF: Spencer Rogers (Jr.) - Issaquah
OF: Colin Hering (Sr.) - Newport
OF: Gene Watson (Jr.) - Bothell
DH: Nick Smith (Sr.) - Eastlake
UT: Ryan Somers (Sr.) - Skyline

Second Team All-KingCo
P: Shane Yarnell (Jr.) - Issaquah
P: Obidiah Taylor (Soph.) - Inglemoor
P: Brett DeRooy (Sr.) - Woodinville
C: Jordan Sui (Sr.) - Inglemoor
C: Emmett Niland (Sr.) - Ballard
1B: Tyler Atkinson (Sr.) - Bothell
2B: Blake Lively (Sr.) - Lake Washington
SS: Trace Tam Sing (Jr.) - Newport
3B: Alex Reynolds (Sr.) - Bothell
3B: Michael Conforto (Soph.) - Redmond
OF: Dylan Davis (Soph.) - Redmond
OF: Miles Perkins (Sr.) - Issaquah
OF: Chris Viltz (Sr.) - Lake Washington
DH: Christian Kaiser (Sr.) - Lake Washington
UT: Kurt Stottlemyer (Sr.) - Bothell

KingCo 4A Player of the Year: Christian Kaiser (Sr.) - Lake Washington
KingCo 4A Coach of the Year: Derek Bingham - Lake Washington

Honorable Mention
Ballard: Nick Palewicz (Sr.), Dylan Murphy (Sr.), Connor McClure (Sr.)
Bothell: Bryan Mourer (Sr.), Brian McAfee (Soph.), Evan Hudson (Soph.)
Eastlake: Nick Hooper (Sr.), Michael Russo (Jr.)
Garfield: Joseph Lucia (Jr.), Sean Gilman (Sr.), Mike Harvey (Sr.), Peter Summerville (Sr.)
Inglemoor: Sam Johnston (Sr.), Logan Moen (Sr.), Scott Meyers (Jr.)
Issaquah: Brennan Miller (Sr.), Dustin Talley (Sr.), Austin O'Neil (Sr.)
Lake Washington: Dan Reynar (Sr.), Tyler Staudacher (Sr.), Karl Myers (Sr.), Alex Ross (Sr.)
Newport: Brandon Andreini (Sr.), Brad Binder (Sr.), Kevon Zadeh (Sr.)
Redmond: Zach Abbruzza (Soph.), Brian Grina (Sr.), Matt Kimmel (Jr.), Mac Acker (Sr.)
Roosevelt: Tom Nielson (Sr.)
Skyline: Jake Knecht (Sr.), Shawn Ellis (Jr.), Jacob Shannon (Jr.), Ryan Gilchrist (Sr.)
Woodinville: Matt Stefansson (Jr.), Luke Taylor (Jr.), Joel Maltos (Sr.)

Two More KingCo Teams Punch Tickets to State

Issaquah and Inglemoor became the third and fourth teams from the KingCo 4A conference to qualify for state on Saturday, joining Newport and Lake Washington in the 16-team tournament which begins next Saturday. The Vikings topped Heritage (Vancouver) 9-4 while Issaquah outslugged Kelso, 12-8.

Details to follow...

LW Wins KingCo Title

[ KingCo Tournament Bracket ]

KingCo 4A play wrapped up for the 2009 season on Thursday, with the championship and third place games being played at Woodinville HS...

KingCo Championship
Lake Washington 9, Newport 2 - The Kangs scored four runs in the fourth and tacked on three more in the fifth to break open a close game and win the KingCo 4A Championship, 9-2 over Newport. Right hander Christian Kaiser went the distance to improve to 6-0, surrendering just 4 hits and 2 runs (1 earned) on the night. LW is now 9-0 in games where Kaiser has started on the mound. Lake Washington used the running game to spark their offense, stealing eight bags on the night including three by John Shimabukuro and two each for Andy Moore and Blake Lively. Zach Nasu and Andrew West drove in the two Knight runs on the evening, while Eric Folkers and Alex Ross each had two RBI for the Kangs.

Lake Washington enters the state tournament as District 2/4's top seed and will travel to Kent Memorial to take on the #4 seed from District 3 (Narrows/SPSL leagues). Their opponent will be determined on Saturday, as Tahoma, Gig Harbor, Central Kitsap and Curtis will fight for two spots in the state tournament. Meanwhile, Newport gets the #3 seed from District 2/4 and will take on the winner of Saturday's 11:00 am game at Heidelberg Field (Tacoma) between Olympia and Kentwood.

Third Place Game
Inglemoor 12, Issaquah 9 - The Vikings responded to an Eagle five-run first inning, coming from behind to take third place in KingCo 4A with a 12-9 win over Issaquah. The Eagles jumped out to an 8-3 lead, but were outscored 9-1 from the fourth inning on. Inglemoor center fielder Marc Dickerson led the charge, going 3-for-3 with a double, home run and 4 RBI. First baseman Erick Raynes remained on a tear, picking up 3 hits and 2 RBI, while shortstop Sam Johnston doubled and homered for the Viks. Devin O'Donnell and Brennan Miller had three hits a piece for Issaquah, who finishes fourth with the loss. The two teams go into Saturday's bi-district games with red hot bats. The Eagles put up an amazing 47 runs in their four playoff games, while the Vikings scored 43, including putting up double-digits in each contest.

Speaking of the bi-district, winner-to-state games, Saturday's schedule is as follows:

• Heritage (GSHL #2) @ Inglemoor (KingCo #3), 12:00 pm - winner is Dist 2/4 #4
• Issaquah (KingCo #4) @ Kelso (GSHL #1), 12:00 pm - winner is Dist 2/4 #2

Championship Thursday

Thursday brings the culmination of the KingCo 4A baseball season, with the third place and championship games on tap for tonight. The fight for third place is first, with Inglemoor and Issaquah squaring off at 4:00 pm. That game will immediately be followed by the KingCo Championship game between Newport and Lake Washington. Both games are at Woodinville HS and are on as scheduled as of 2:30 pm.

Check back tomorrow for a full recap of the final day's games, as well as a look ahead to Saturday's bi-district winner-to-state games.

Final Four is Set

Offense was the theme in Tuesday's KingCo tournament elimination games, as 35 combined runs were scored between the four teams...

• Issaquah 13, Redmond 7 - The Eagles' offensive onslaught continued, as they scored double-digit runs for the third straight playoff contest, eliminating the top seed Mustangs with a 13-7 win. Shortstop Michael Dixon was 3-for-3 with a double, 3 runs scored and 3 RBI and catcher Devin O'Donnell doubled, tripled and drove in four for Issaquah, who scored four runs in the top of the first and never looked back. They have scored 38 runs on 45 hits in their three tournament games. Redmond was led once again by super sophomore Michael Conforto, who was 3-for-4 with a home run and 3 RBI. Second baseman Josh Bircher finished the afternoon 2-for-3 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI for the 'Stangs, whose great season comes to an end with a record of 18-5.
• Inglemoor 11, Skyline 4 - Senior first baseman Erick Raynes had a grand slam and a two-run homer in his first two at bats as the Vikings jumped out early and cruised to an 11-4 win over Skyline. Inglemoor scored 11 times in their first four at bats, led by the two big blasts. Senior Austin Hueter was the winning pitcher, allowing 5 hits and a run over 5 innings of work. Inglemoor advances to Thursday's third place game, where they will take on Issaquah at 4:00 pm at Woodinville HS. Meanwhile, Skyline, who was the #2 seed from the Crest Division, finishes their year at 15-8.

The stage is now set for the final day of the KingCo 4A baseball tournament. Thursday features a double-header, with the opener being the third place game between Inglemoor (13-10, Crown #4) and Issaquah (12-10, Crest #4). The winner of that game will host the loser of the Greater St. Helen's League championship game (Kelso vs. Heritage) on Saturday at 2:00 pm for a trip to state. Meanwhile, the loser of Thursday's third place game will travel to Vancouver on Saturday to play the GSHL champion, also with a state berth on the line.

In the night cap, the Newport Knights (14-8, Crest #3) take on the Lake Washington Kangs (17-5, Crown #1) with the KingCo championship on the line. The first meeting between the two clubs saw LW top the Knights, 10-5. However, as this tournament has already proven, you can throw the regular season results out the window, as three of the top four seeds have been eliminated. Newport comes in riding an eight-game win streak, while the Kangs have won 10 of their last 12 ball games. Game time is scheduled for 7:00 pm - BE THERE!

Elimination Games on Tap

The KingCo 4A baseball tournament continues today at Woodinville HS with two loser out games:

• Issaquah (Crest #4) vs. Redmond (Crest #1), 4:00 pm
• Inglemoor (Crown #4) vs. Skyline (Crest #2), 7:00 pm

The winners of today's games will meet on Thursday in a seeding game to determine who will host and who will travel for the district play-in games with the Greater St. Helen's League. The losers will have their season's come to an end. Check the Kingco Baseball Twitter for game updates as they become available.

Newport, LW Advance to Title Game

Two teams clinched a spot in the KingCo championship game while two others saw their season end on Monday...

Winners Bracket

• Lake Washington 7, Skyline 0 - Senior left-hander Tyler Staudacher tossed a four-hit shutout and shortstop Alex Potts homered and drove in 2 as the Kangs advanced to the conference championship game with a 7-0 blanking of Skyline. LW scored single runs in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings, completing the scoring with a three spot in the sixth. Meanwhile, Staudacher scattered 4 hits and 2 walks in the complete game, striking out 5 in the process. Christian Kaiser chipped in offensively, finishing the afternoon 3-for-4 with 2 RBI for the Kangs, who secured a state tournament berth and advanced to Thursday's KingCo title game. Jacob Shannon had two of the four hits in the loss for Skyline, who will take on Inglemoor in a loser out game on Tuesday night.
• Newport 4, Redmond 0 - Not to be outdone by Staudacher's performance, Knights lefty Colin Hering tossed the second shutout of the day, holding the vaunted Redmond offense to just 3 hits while striking out 10 in a 4-0 Newport win. The win was the eighth straight for Newport, while the loss snapped the Mustangs' 11-game win streak. Knights catcher Dan Altchech finished the night 3-for-4 with a solo home run, while Redmond second baseman Josh Bircher had two of the 'Stangs three hits on the night. Newport and LW will face off in the KingCo championship game, while Redmond will look to bounce back against Issaquah on Tuesday afternoon.

Losers Bracket

• Issaquah 15, Bothell 5 - The Eagles scored early and often in this one, putting up 10 runs in the first three innings en route to a convincing 15-5 win over Bothell. Issaquah put on an offensive clinic, stroking 18 hits, including 5 doubles, three triples and home runs by senior Miles Perkins and junior Spencer Rogers. Perkins, fresh off a 5 RBi performance on Saturday, finished the night 4-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and 4 RBI, while Rogers also doubled twice and homered, driving in 3. Third baseman Alex Reynolds was the lone bright spot for Bothell, collecting 3 hits and driving home 4 of the five Cougar runs. Issaquah moves on to another loser out game on Tuesday against Redmond, while Bothell sees its season end, finishing up with a record of 13-9.
• Inglemoor 10, Woodinville 2 - Inglemoor kept its season alive with a valiant effort by sophomore Obadiah Taylor, topping Woodinville 10-2 in the loser's bracket 7:00 game. Taylor pitched well despite an ankle injury which prevented him from going in the Vikings' playoff opener. He was helped by an offensive attack which put 10 runs on the board against a few different Falcons pitchers. The Vikings will face elimination once more on Tuesday night, when they take on Skyline for the right to advance to a district play-in game with the Greater St. Helens League. Woodinville's season ends at 13-9.

Tuesday's loser out games feature Issaquah and Redmond facing off at 4:00 pm with Inglemoor-Skyline scheduled for 7:00 pm. Both games will be played at Woodinville HS, with the winners advancing to a seeding game on Thursday at 4:00 prior to the KingCo title game at 7:00 pm between Newport and Lake Washington.

Following the Other 4A Conference Tourneys

For those interested in following the other 4A conference/district tournaments from around the state, I've compiled some links below to help:

Greater St. Helen's League
Scores: http://www.columbian.com/section/sports
- The Greater St. Helen's League (GSHL) tournament is of particular interest for the KingCo teams, as the #1 and #2 qualifiers out of the GSHL will take on the #3 and #4 KingCo qualifiers for the district's final two state berths. KingCo #3 will host GSHL #2 while KingCo #4 will travel to GSHL #1 - both games are on Saturday, May 16th.

Narrows/SPSL
Bracket: http://www.southkitsapwolves.com/2009_WCD_4A_baseball_tournament.html
- The Narrows/SPSL district tournament is also of interest, as KingCo teams can only match up with teams from this district in the first round of the WIAA 4A state tournament.

Wesco
Bracket: http://wiaa.com/dist1/Spring4AInfo/094ABaseball.xls

Big Nine
Scores: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/1238

Greater Spokane League
Scores: http://www.spokesmanreview.com/sports/preps/hardball/listgames.asp?gender=boys
Bracket: http://www.greaterspokaneleague.org/upload_content/docs/2009%204A%20Baseball%20District%20_44.xls

WIAA - 4A State Tournament Bracket
http://www.wiaa.com/brackets/BaseSoc16.aspx?s=Baseball&c=4A&y=2009
- The KingCo/GSHL representatives in the state tournament will be determined as follows:

• Dist 2/4 #1 - KingCo #1
• Dist 2/4 #2 - winner of GSHL #1 and KingCo #4
• Dist 2/4 #3 - KingCo #2
• Dist 2/4 #4 - winner of GSHL #2 and KingCo #3

Round 2 Previews

Day 2 of the KingCo 4A baseball tournament is today, with four games at two different sites. Two of the four possible state participants in the conference will be determined today, as the two teams who win the winner's bracket contests will advance to Thursday's KingCo Championship game and earn an automatic berth to the 4A state tournament.

Winner's Bracket (games at Woodinville HS)
Skyline (Crest #2) vs. Lake Washington (Crown #1), 4:00 pm
The #8 and #10 ranked teams in the state get together in the first game of the winner's bracket doubleheader when the Kangs and Spartans hook up. Skyline was victorious in the first meeting between the teams this season, topping LW 3-2 in early April behind the pitching of senior southpaw Blake Fulghum. The Kangs are 9-2 since that game and look to avenge their defeat this afternoon at 4:00 pm. Skyline won their opener 4-1 over Bothell, using strong pitching from junior right hander Adrian Sampson and a clutch three-run home run by Sean Penberthy. Meanwhile, Lake Washington advanced with a six-run bottom of the seventh inning, beating Issaquah 11-10 on Saturday afternoon.

Newport (Crest #3) vs. Redmond (Crest #1), 7:00 pm
The league's two hottest teams face off with a berth in the KingCo championship on the line as Newport takes on Redmond. The Knights come in winners of five straight league games and seven straight overall and are fresh off an impressive 9-3 win over the Crown Division #2 seed Woodinville Falcons. Senior Brandon Andreini went the distance to pick up the win for the Knights, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits while striking out 7. They take on the top-seeded and 2nd ranked Mustangs, who won their final 10 regular season games and extended their streak to 11 with a 12-10 win over Inglemoor on Saturday night. Redmond sports an 18-3 overall record, including a regular season sweep over Newport.

Loser's Bracket (games at Inglemoor HS)
Issaquah (Crest #4) vs. Bothell (Crown #3), 4:00 pm
In the first of two loser-out games, the Eagles and Cougars square off at Inglemoor HS at 4:00 pm. Both teams are coming off defeats in games where the outcomes were in doubt late into the contest. Bothell lost on a late home run, while the Eagles lost in their opponent's final at bat. The first meeting between the teams was an extra inning affair won by Bothell, 5-4.

Inglemoor (Crown #4) vs. Woodinville (Crown #2)
Two long time divisional rivals hook up in the second of two loser-out games when the Vikings take on the Falcons. The teams split the regular season series, with Woodinville winning the final matchup in a pitcher's duel, 2-1. Both teams are riding two game losing streaks following their first round defeats, facing the task of snapping those streaks or ending their season.

First Round Recaps

Recapping a busy first day of the KingCo 4A baseball tournament...

• Skyline 4, Bothell 1 - Sean Penberthy's three-run home run broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth and sent the Spartans to the semifinals with a 4-1 win over Bothell. The game was a pitcher's duel between two of the top junior arms in the league, with Skyline's Adrian Sampson and Bothell's Evan Hudson allowing just a single run through five innings. Sampson slammed the door after the clutch home run and picked up the win, going the distance allowing just 4 hits and a walk while striking out 5.
• LW 11, Issaquah 10 - The Kangs scored six times in the bottom of the seventh inning, overcoming a 10-5 deficit and moving on to the second round with an 11-10 win. Following the pitcher's duel in the tourney opener, this game was anything but, with the two teams combining for 29 hits on the afternoon. The winning run scored on an RBI single by Christian Kaiser, his fourth hit of the day. Eric Folkers was 4-for-4 with two doubles and 3 RBI and Chris Viltz was 3-for-4 with 2 doubles and 2 RBI for the Kangs, who will take on Skyline Monday for the right to advance to the KingCo championship game. Brennan Miller and Dustin Talley had three hits a piece for Issy and Miles Perkins was 2-for-4 with 5 RBI, including a majestic three-run home run to left-center field in the fifth inning. Issaquah will face Bothell on Monday in a loser out game.
• Newport 9, Woodinville 3 - The Knights scored six runs in a decisive fifth inning, coming back from an early deficit to top the Falcons 9-3. Right hander Brandon Andreini surrendered 3 runs on 5 hits in a complete game victory, which extended Newport's win streak to 5 KingCo games (7 overall). Brad Binder was 3-for-4 with an RBI and 3 runs scored, and Colin Hering scored twice and drove in two, as the Knights secured a spot in the semis. Matt Stefansson homered and Sean Murphy doubled and drove in a run for Woodinville in a losing effort.
• Redmond 12, Inglemoor 10 - The night cap was another slugfest, with the top seed Mustangs coming out on top of the fourth seeded Vikings, 12-10. Redmond scored early and often in this one, jumping out to an 11-3 lead after five. Inglemoor made things interesting late, scoring three times in the sixth and plating four more in the seventh, with Jordan Siu's three-run home run to right-center field capping the scoring. Michael Conforto homered for the 'Stangs, who ran their win streak to 11 games and will take on Newport in the other semifinal game. Inglemoor will take on Northshore rival Woodinville in a loser out contest Monday night.

So, after an exciting day of baseball, the KingCo 4A final four is set. Monday's schedule is listed below - winner's bracket games will be played at Woodinville HS, with the loser's bracket games at Inglemoor HS:

Winner's Bracket (winners to KingCo Championship)

• Skyline (Crest #2) vs. Lake Washington (Crown #1), 4:00 pm
• Newport (Crest #3) vs. Redmond (Crest #1), 7:00 pm

Loser's Bracket (loser out games)

• Issaquah (Crest #4) vs. Bothell (Crown #2), 4:00 pm
• Inglemoor (Crown #4) vs. Woodinville (Crown #2), 7:00 pm

KingCo Playoff Scores

Results from the first day of games:

• Skyline 4, Bothell 1
• LW 11, Issaquah 10
• Newport 9, Woodinville 3
• Redmond 12, Inglemoor 10

More details to come...

First Round Preview

The KingCo tournament kicks off tomorrow, with four first round games on tap. The full day's schedule is listed below with a few quick game notes...

Game 1: 10:00 am - Bothell (10-6, Crown #3) vs. Skyline (11-5, Crest #2)

Notes: Cougars won the first meeting 7-2 behind sophomore left-hander Kevin McShane...Skyline's Adrian Sampson led KingCo 4A in wins (6), strikeouts (55) and was fifth in ERA (2.02)...game features two of the league's top offensive performers - Bothell's Gene Watson led the league in SLG (.769) and was third in batting average (.462) and OBP (.558) while leading the league in runs scored. Skyline's Ryan Somers led KingCo in OBP (.576) and was second in batting average (.468).

Game 2: 1:00 pm - Issaquah (8-8, Crest #4) vs. Lake Washington (12-4, Crown #1)

Notes: Kangs won the April 17th contest 2-1 on a walk-off single in the bottom of the 7th...game was a pitcher's duel between LW's Christian Kaiser and Issy's Shane Yarnell...Kangs led league in runs scored (6.6 per game) and strikeouts (131), while finishing second in ERA (2.31)...Kaiser's 1.75 ERA was good for third in KingCo 4A, striking out 45 batters (2nd)...LW's Folkers finished second in the league in home runs (4) and RBI (18)...Eagles have appeared in the last two state final fours at the 3A level, winning the state championship in 2007...Yarnell tied for third in KingCo 4A with 4 wins and boasts an impressive 38/5 strikeout-to-walk ratio in league play.

Game 3: 4:00 pm - Newport (9-7, Crest #3) vs. Woodinville (10-6, Crown #2)

Notes: Falcons won the first meeting 10-2...Newport comes in winners of four straight league games, six straight overall...win streak includes wins over division rivals Issaquah and Skyline...outscored opponents 36-16 in six game stretch...Falcons averaged 6.1 runs per game in league play and were second in KingCo 4A in OBP (.410)...Senior third baseman Sean Murphy finished tied for second in RBI (18) and runs scored (16)...Woodinville one week removed from an impressive sweep of Bothell, Inglemoor and LW.

Game 4: 7:00 pm - Inglemoor (8-8, Crown #4) vs. Redmond (14-2, Crest #1)

Notes: Mustangs topped Vikings 7-3 in season's only meeting...Redmond has won 10 straight games and led KingCo in ERA (2.03), batting average (.305), OBP (.428), slugging (.496) and HRs (14)...led by sophomores Dylan Davis and Michael Conforto, who tied for the league lead in HRs (5)...Davis also finished second in the league in ERA (1.15)...Mustangs are a league best 32-4 over the past two seasons in league play...Vikings finished second in the league in HRs (9)...shortstop Sam Johnston hit 3 HRs, good for fourth in the league...sophomore Obadiah Taylor tied for third in KingCo with 4 wins and his 2.08 ERA was good for 7th.

Playoff Time!

The final three games of the regular season were played yesterday, finalilzing the seeds for the upcoming KingCo tournament...

Crown Division

• LW 6, Inglemoor 3 - Senior Karl Myers allowed three runs in five innings of work and sophomore Alex Donnelly hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning to help the Kangs clinch the Crown Division title with an 6-3 win over the Vikings on Thursday night. Myers allowed five hits and no walks, striking out six in LW's clincher. Junior Alex Houghton got the final six outs to pick up the save for the Kangs, who will take on Issaquah at 1:00 pm in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday. Senior Trevor McMaster doubled and drove in two for Inglemoor, who will take on top seed Redmond Saturday night at 7:00 pm.
• Ballard 11, Woodinville 2 - No details available...

Crest Division

• Skyline 6, Garfield 5 - The Spartans rallied back from a four-run first inning deficit to win their final game of the season, 6-5 over Garfield. Shawn Ellis, Kris Hedberg and Ryan Somers paced a 10-hit attack, each collecting two hits of their own. Skyline will move into the KingCo playoffs as the Crest Division #2 seed, and will take on Bothell in the tourney's first game at 10:00 am Saturday.

With the regular season in the books, the eight playoff teams move forward to the KingCo tournament, which commences Saturday and will conclude on Thursday night with the KingCo 4A championship game. Be sure to check the blog often to stay current with the playoff results.

The Waiting Game...

Both games remaining that will determine the top two seeds in the Crown Division were once again rained out on Wednesday. They have been rescheduled for today - Woodinville @ Ballard, 3:45; LW @ Inglemoor, 7:00 pm. With the rain letting up, we should know where these teams stand after tonight's contests.

Playoff Picture

With just a few games left to complete the KingCo 4A regular season, we take a look today at the current playoff picture...

In the Crest Division, the seeding is set:
1) Redmond (14-2)
2) Skyline (10-5)
3) Newport (9-7)
4) Issaquah (8-8)

In the Crown Division, the top two seeds are still up for grabs, pending today's results:
1) Lake Washington (11-4) OR Woodinville (10-5)
2) Lake Washington (11-4) OR Woodinville (10-5)
3) Bothell (10-6)
4) Inglemoor (8-7)

Here are the scenarios to determine seeding in the Crown Division:
- If Lake Washington and Woodinville both win, LW is the #1, Woodinville the #2
- If Lake Washington wins and Woodinville loses, LW is the #1, Woodinville the #2
- If Lake Washington loses and Woodinville wins, a coin flip will determine the #1 and #2 seeds
- If Lake Washington and Woodinville both lose, LW is the #1, Woodinville the #2

The KingCo tournament [view bracket] starts this Saturday, May 9th. The first round schedule is as follows (all games at Woodinville HS):

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

Season Finales

Half of yesterday's scheduled season finales were played, with each game having an impact on the final division standings and seedings for the KingCo tournament.

Crest Division

• Redmond 3, Issaquah 2 - Senior Brian Grina's walk-off double in the bottom of the 7th capped a dominant regular season for the Mustangs, as they won their 10th straight game, 3-2 over Issaquah. Redmond finished an impressive 14-2 in KingCo play to earn the top seed in the Crest Division. Spencer Rogers struck out nine in 5 2/3 innings on the mound for the Eagles, who finished the year at 8-8 and will enter the KingCo tournament as the #4 seed from the Crest Division.
• Newport 3, Eastlake 2 - Four Newport pitchers combined on a 3-hitter as Newport completed an impressive turnaround with a 3-2 win over the Wolves on Wednesday afternoon. The Knights were 5-7 through 12 KingCo games, but won their final four contests to finish in sole possession of third place at 9-7 in the Crest Division. Trace Tam Sing was 2-for-4 with a double, home run and 2 runs scored in the win, while Eastlake was paced by Nick Andrews (2-for-3, double) and Nick Smith (HR, 2 RBI). The Wolves' season ends with a final record of 5-11.

Crown Division

• Bothell 5, Roosevelt 4 - The Cougars scored three times in the bottom of the seventh inning for a come-from-behind 5-4 win over Roosevelt in both team's season finale. Bothell trailed 4-2 headed into their final at-bat, but rallied to lock up the #3 seed coming out of the Crown Division. Sophomore Kevin McShane picked up the win in relief, while seniors Tyler Atkinson and Alex Reynolds each had 3 hits. The Cougars finish the regular season at 10-6 and will match up with Skyline in the first round of the playoffs. Andrew Johnson and Spencer Stevenson had two hits each for the Roughriders, who finish the year at 2-14.

The other half of the schedule was rained out, with the following make-ups on tap for Wednesday:

• Lake Washington (11-4) @ Inglemoor (8-7), 7:00 pm
• Woodinville (10-5) @ Ballard (3-12), 3:45 pm
• Garfield (3-12) @ Skyline (10-5), 3:45 pm

Crest Decided, Crown Still Up in the Air

Friday's games brought a chance for two teams to wrap up division titles - one was able to clinch, while the other will have to wait until Tuesday's finale for another chance to seal their fate.

Crest Division

• Redmond 3, Skyline 2 - The Mustangs scored three times in a decisive fifth inning, clinching the Crest Division title with a 3-2 win over Skyline. Sophomore Dylan Davis outdueled Skyline's Blake Fulghum, allowing four hits and 2 earned runs in the complete game victory. Redmond will enter the KingCo Tournament as the #1 seed from the Crest Division and will take on the Crown Division's #4 seed in the first round. Meanwhile, despite the loss, the Spartans locked up the Crest Division #2 seed. They will matchup up with the #3 seed in the Crown.
• Newport 11, Issaquah 4 - Trase Tam Sing and Kevon Zadeh each drove in two runs to lead a 15-hit attack as the Knights moved into a tie for third with an 11-4 win over Issaquah. The Knights scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back, scoring at least one run in each of the first six frames. Sophomore Jared Fisher picked up the win, yielding 3 earned runs in six innings of work. Dustin Talley homered for Issaquah, who dropped to 8-7 and will finish up the regular season next Tuesday at Redmond.

Crown Division

• Woodinville 9, LW 8 (8 inn.) - In a dramatic back-and-forth affair, a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth kept the Falcons division title hopes alive as they topped the Kangs 9-8. Lake Washington trailed 5-4 headed into the seventh inning, but battled back with 4 runs to take an 8-5 lead going into the bottom of the seventh. Woodinville, as they have done all season long, rallied in their final at bat of regulation, scoring three times (including twice with two outs) to tie the game and send it to extra frames, where they eventually won the game. Preston Longoni and Sean Murphy each drove in two runs a piece for the Falcons, who closed to within a game of the Kangs with one regular season game left. Dan Reynar drove in four runs and Christian Kaiser homered and scored three times for LW in a losing effort.
• Bothell 6, Ballard 0 - Sophomore Brian McAfee tossed a one-hit shutout as the Cougars snapped a four-game losing streak with a 6-0 win over Ballard. The right hander gave up three walks while striking out six. Tyler Atkinson and Alex Reynolds had 2 RBI each for the Cougars, who improved to 9-6 and stayed one game ahead of Inglemoor for third place in the Crown Division.
• Inglemoor 5, Roosevelt 1 - Mitchell Gonsolus, Scott Meyers and Logan Moen had two hits a piece and Aaron Hueter pitched 5 innings to pick up the win as the Vikings topped Roosevelt, 5-1. The win moved Inglemoor's league record to 8-7, one game behind third place Bothell in the Crown Division. They will play host to first place LW on Tuesday in the regular season finale for both teams. Tom Nielson was 2-for-3 for Roosevelt, who dropped to 2-13.

So, with only one regular season game remaining, only two of the eight seeds are locked up. All the playoff teams have been determined, but only Redmond (Crest #1) and Skyline (Crest #2) know where they will line up in the KingCo playoffs, which start next Saturday, May 9th.

Friday's Feature Games

The season's final Friday brings matchups between first and second place teams in both the Crown and Crest divisions, as well as a renewal of a KingCo 3A rivalry with third place on the line. Redmond (Crest) and Lake Washington (Crown) can each clinch division titles with wins tonight, while Skyline and Woodinville hope to keep their hopes alive going into Tuesday's finale.

Featured Games
Redmond (12-2) at Skyline (10-4), 3:45 pm - These two teams appear headed in opposite directions headed into this Crest division showdown. The Mustangs are the league's hottest team, taking an eight-game win streak to the plateau. Meanwhile, Skyline has stumbled a bit this week, dropping games to Newport and Issaquah to fall two games behind Redmond. Skyline won the first meeting between the two teams, 6-1, with ace Adrian Sampson keeping the Mustang bats in check. Sophomore Dylan Davis takes the bump tonight looking to even the season series and sew up a Crest division championship for the 'Stangs.

Lake Washington (11-3) at Woodinville (9-5), 7:00 pm - The league's lone night game features two teams looking to finish off perfect weeks, as the Kangs travel to Woodinville HS to take on the Falcons. Lake Washington defeated Roosevelt 9-3 on Monday and scored three runs in the seventh to top Bothell, 4-3 on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Woodinville beat Bothell 10-4 on Monday and won a pitcher's duel against Inglemoor 2-1 on Wednesday. The Kangs won the first contest, 8-3 and can lock up the Crown division championship with a win. Meanwhile, a Falcon win closes the gap to a game and keeps their hopes alive for a co-division title.

Newport (7-7) at Issaquah (8-6), 3:45 pm - Two old friends meet up again to renew their rivalry as the Eagles, winners of four straight KingCo contests, play host to the Knights. Both teams are 2-0 this week and are known for playing their best baseball at the end of the year. Issaquah has one-run wins over Eastlake and Skyline this week, while the Knights thumped Skyline 8-1 on Monday before escaping against Garfield 6-5 on Wednesday. Issy topped Newport in the season's first meeting, 6-1. An Issaquah win will lock up no worse than a #3 seed for the Eagles, while Newport looks to stay in contention for a third place finish.

Rounding out today's slate of games:
Bothell (8-6) @ Ballard (3-11), 3:45 pm
Inglemoor (7-7) @ Roosevelt (2-12), 3:45 pm
Eastlake (4-10) @ Garfield (3-11), 3:45 pm

Wednesday (4/29) Nailbiters

Wednesday's action featured four 1-run ball games and another that went to extra innings. Playoff type baseball being played with just over a week left until tourney time...

Crest Division

• Redmond 7, Eastlake 2 - The Mustangs cruised to their seventh straight win behind solid pitching from senior left-hander Mac Acker, eliminating Eastlake from playoff contention, 7-2. Acker allowed 2 earned and struck out 5 over 4 1/3 innings pitched and was helped offensively by Matt Kimmel (2-for-4, 2 runs scored), Drew Fosnes (1-for-3, 2 RBI) and Josh Bircher (1-for-3, double, 2 runs scored). Alex Boyce doubled twice and drove in a run for Eastlake, who fell 3 games back of fourth place Newport with just 2 games remaining. Meanwhile, Redmond clinched no worse than a tie atop the Crest Division headed into Friday's showdown at second place Skyline.
• Issaquah 2, Skyline 1 - The Eagles turned to a freshman to continue their second half surge and Ethan Kalin delivered, holding the Spartans to just one run in 5 2/3 innings as Issaquah won their fourth straight KingCo contest, 2-1 over Skyline. Kalin, making his first Varsity start, pitched to contact all night, walking just one batter while recording 2 punchouts. Catcher Devin O'Donnell's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh broke a 1-1 tie and sent Skyline home with their second straight defeat. Jacob Shannon drove in the lone Spartans run in the second inning. Issaquah maintains a one game lead over Newport for third place, with a showdown between the two teams looming on Friday afternoon.
• Newport 6, Garfield 5 - The Knights survived a five-run seventh inning by Garfield, with senior Andrew Longhorn drawing a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh to give Newport the 6-5 win. Senior right hander Brandon Andreini shined in this one, allowing just a hit and a walk in 6 shutout innings, striking out 10 Bulldogs in the process. His chance at the win was spoiled however by Garfield's 5-run top half of the seventh, which was keyed by Nick Conte (2 RBI) and Sean Gilman (double, RBI). Trase Tam Sing and Kevon Zadeh each had two hits for Newport, which locked up a playoff berth and looks to improve their seeding when they travel to Issaquah on Friday.

Crown Division

• Woodinville 2, Inglemoor 1 - Senior southpaw Brett DeRooy went the distance for the Falcons, allowing just 5 hits and a walk while striking out 4 in Woodinville's big 2-1 win over the Vikings on Wednesday night. Senior Sean Murphy homered for the Falcons, who kept their hopes of a division championship alive. They remain two games back of Lake Washington with two games to play, with a showdown between the teams set for Friday night at 7:00 pm at Woodinville HS. Inglemoor sophomore sensation Obadiah Taylor was the tough luck loser, allowing just 2 hits and 2 earned runs over 6 innings of work. Sam Johnston drove in the Vikings' lone run in a loss that dropped them to 7-7, one game out of third place.
• LW 4, Bothell 3 - Senior Blake Lively's walk-off three-run double in the bottom half of the seventh inning gave the Kangs a dramatic come-from-behind 4-3 win over Bothell on Wednesday night. Sophomore left-hander Kevin McShane kept the Lake Washington bats off balance all night, taking a 3-1 lead into the seventh inning, only to take the loss with the 3 runs in the seventh all being unearned. Lively also earned the win on the mound, pitching 2 innings and allowing one earned run in relief of senior starter Christian Kaiser, who allowed 2 earned over 5. Sophomore center fielder Alex Donnelly was 1-for-3 with a double and two runs scored, including the game winner in the Kangs' last at bat. Third baseman Alex Reynolds drove in two runs and Gene Watson was 1-for-3 with a double for Bothell, who fell into third place with their fourth straight defeat.
• Ballard 4, Roosevelt 2 (8 inn.) - The Beavers scored two runs in the top of the eighth to break a 2-2 tie and snap a 10-game losing streak, topping Roosevelt 4-2. Ballard won the ball game despite being outhit in the contest, 5-3. For Roosevelt, Tom Nielson was 2-for-4 with an RBI and Mark Sugiyama went the distance on just 99 pitches, ending up the tough luck loser.

The four playoff teams in each division are now set (KingCo 4A standings), with seeding being the only thing left to determine. Friday brings three big games to determine playoff placement; in the Crest Division, Redmond travels to Skyline looking to lock up the #1 seed, while Issaquah hosts Newport in a battle for third place. Over in the Crown Division, first place Lake Washington can clinch the division title outright when they travel to Woodinville for a 7:00 pm start.

KingCo 4A Playoff Format

With the KingCo 4A playoffs starting in less than two weeks, I thought it would be a good time to take a look at the tournament format and peek at some possible first round matchups.

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, 5/9
• 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 qualify for the state tournament and play in the KingCo championship game on Thursday, 5/14
• KingCo's #3 and #4 seeds (determined through the loser's bracket) will take on the #1 and #2 seeds from the Greater St. Helen's League (GSHL) on Saturday, 5/16
• View the entire tournament bracket here.

First Round Matchups - Saturday, 5/9

• 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

If the season ended today, the first round would look like:

• Bothell (Crown 3 **) vs. Skyline (Crest 2)
• Newport (Crest 4) vs. Lake Washington (Crown 1)
• Issaquah (Crest 3) vs. Woodinville (Crown 2 **)
• Inglemoor (Crown 4) vs. Redmond (Crest 1)

** - Woodinville currently holds the #2 seed in the Crown division based on a season sweep of Bothell

With three games left, these matchups have potential to change significantly. Follow the last week of the season to see where each team will end up.

Monday (4/27) Results

Heading into Monday, just four games remained in the KingCo 4A regular season...

Crest Division

• Newport 8, Skyline 1 - Senior Colin Hering shined both on the mound and at the plate for the Knights as they completed a season sweep over Skyline with an 8-1 win. Hering scattered 5 hits and an earned run over 6 2/3 innings of work and also went 3-for-4 with 2 doubles and 4 RBI, helping Newport inch closer to the Crest Division's final playoff berth. For the Spartans, Adrian Sampson suffered his first loss of the 2009 campaign as he was touched for 8 runs (5 earned) in 6 1/3 innings pitched.
• Redmond 6, Garfield 1 - Junior Ryan Beliel went the distance, allowing just 4 hits and an earned run, helping the Mustangs win their seventh straight, 6-1 over Garfield. Beliel didn't walk a single batter, while striking out 3 Bulldogs on the night. Sophomore third baseman Michael Conforto keyed a 5-run third inning with a bases loaded triple and fellow sophomore Zach Abbruzza was 3-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI for Redmond, who took advantage of Skyline's loss to move into sole possession of first place in the Crest Division. Peter Summerville was 1-for-2 with an RBI for Garfield, who must win out and get help to have a shot at the playoffs.
• Issaquah 4, Eastlake 3 - In an important game to help determine the Crest Division's final two playoff teams, the Eagles pushed across a run in the top of the seventh to top Eastlake, 4-3. Junior Spencer Rogers carried a no-hitter into the sixth before the Wolves tied the game with three runs, two coming off the bat of senior catcher Nick Andrews. Rogers, who allowed just 2 hits and struck out 6 in a complete game victory, was the hero with the bat for Issaquah as well, driving in the go ahead run in the final frame. Marcus Gaan was 3-for-3 with a run scored for Issaquah, whose magic number is now 1 to clinch a playoff berth.

Crown Division

• Woodinville 10, Bothell 4 - Junior Dan McMillan's grand slam was the big hit in a 6-run third as the Falcons moved into a tie for second place in the Crown Division with a 10-4 win over Bothell. Both teams now sit at 8-5, with Woodinville owning the tiebreaker over Bothell thanks to a season sweep. Junior catcher Matt Stefansson also homered to help Woodinville's cause. For the Cougars, Tyler Atkinson, Brian McAfee and Alex Reynolds each had two hits in a losing effort.
• Inglemoor 2, Ballard 1 - Erick Raynes' two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning turned out to be the deciding blow in the Vikings' playoff clinching 2-1 win over Ballard. Pitchers Spencer Trautman (Inglemoor) and Jimmy Pugel (Ballard) traded zeroes for the first five innings before the Beavers broke through with a single run in the bottom of the sixth. That set the stage for Raynes's heroics, with the senior coming through with two strikes and two outs in the Inglemoor seventh. Inglemoor clinches a playoff berth with the win and trails Bothell and Woodinville by just one game at 7-6.
• LW 9, Roosevelt 3 - Sophomore Alex Donnelly had two hits and 2 RBI in Lake Washington's 7-run fifth inning as the Kangs took a two-game lead in the Crown Division with a 9-3 win over the Roughriders. As he had done in their first meeting, Roosevelt senior pitcher Steven Holt kept LW's bats in check, taking a 3-2 lead into the fifth. However, a combination of walks, hit batsmen and key hits sparked the Kangs' big inning. Senior right hander Karl Myers struck out 9 over 6 innings to improve to 3-1 in KingCo play this season. Blake Lively was 1-for-1 with 3 walks, 2 runs, 2 RBI and 2 of Lake Washington's 7 stolen bases on the night. For Roosevelt, Tom Nielsen was 3-for-4 in a losing cause.

Six of the eight playoff teams are now decided including all four of the Crown Division tournament participants. In the Crest Division, Issaquah and Newport have the upper hand, with Eastlake and Garfield currently on the outside looking in. Look for a post on the blog later today with information on the 2009 KingCo tournament.

Week 5 KingCo 4A Players of the Week

KingCo 4A Baseball - Players of the Week
Week 5: April 20-25, 2009

Crest Division
Player of the Week: Dylan Davis, Soph., Redmond
Dylan Davis, a sophomore pitcher/outfielder for the Mustangs, wins his second Crest Division player of the week award based on his performance last week in wins over Lake Washington and Newport. In Tuesday's win over the Kangs, Davis was 3-for-4 with a home run and 3 RBI. He followed that up with a 1-for-3 afternoon against Newport, finishing the week 4-for-7 (.571) with a triple, home run and 4 RBI. Davis is currently tied for the KingCo 4A lead with 5 home runs (with teammate and fellow sophomore Michael Conforto) and is second in RBI with 14.

Also nominated: Nick Smith, Eastlake; Gavin Schumaker, Issaquah

Pitcher of the Week: Brennan Menninger, Sr., Eastlake
In earning the win in a 3-2 victory over Bothell, Eastlake's Brennan Menninger picks up the week 5 pitcher of the week award for the Crest Division. The senior right hander came within one out of a complete game, working 6 2/3 innings and allowing just 3 hits and 2 runs (0 earned). Menninger currently has a 3.00 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 26 innings of work on the season.

Also nominated: Spencer Rogers, Issaquah

Crown Division
Player of the Week: Christian Kaiser, Sr., Lake Washington
For the third consecutive week, a Kang picks up the Crown Division player of the week award, with senior pitcher/designated hitter Christian Kaiser winning the honors in week 5. Kaiser reached base safely in each of his seven plate appearances last week, going a perfect 6-for-6 with a triple and 5 RBI. For the season (league play only), Kaiser is 10th in the league with a .391 batting average along with being ranked in the top 5 in wins, ERA and strikeouts on the mound.

Also nominated: None

Pitcher of the Week: Colin Gipner, Sr., Roosevelt
Colin Gipner, a senior pitcher for Roosevelt, is the week 5 pitcher of the week in the Crown Division. Gipner wins the award based on a complete game victory over Woodinville last Thursday where he allowed just 2 htis and 1 earned run for the Roughriders. He walked three and struck out three, picking up his second win of the season. In league play, Gipner is 2-2 with a 5.25 ERA in 20 innings pitched.

Also nominated: None

Looking Back at Week 5...

Didn't have much time last week to expand on the results of some big games, so thought I'd take a minute here to review the happenings of week 5:

Unbeaten Teams
Redmond (2-0 last week, 10-2 KingCo, T-1st Crest Division) - The Mustangs had as impressive of a week as anyone in the KingCo 4A conference last week, winning a showdown between first place teams on Tuesday and handly winning on Thursday to complete the perfect week. On Tuesday, Redmond came back from an early 4-0 deficit, winning in the bottom of the seventh over Lake Washington, 7-6. The Kangs led 6-3 into the bottom of the fifth, when the sophomore connection of Dylan Davis and Michael Conforto struck again for the 'Stangs. Davis hit a 2-run home run on an 0-2 breaking ball to cut the gap to 6-5 and Conforto hit the first pitch he saw from LW relief pitcher Trevor Dunlap deep over the fence in right-center to tie the game at 6. Chad Hui-Peterson provided the game winner, lining a ball between two diving LW outfielders in right field, scoring Conforto with the walk-off run.

On Thursday, Redmond broke open a close game with a 9-run sixth inning en route to a 14-2 win over Newport. Davis shined on the mound this time, improving to 5-0 on the mound in KingCo play, allowing just 2 earned runs in 5 innings of work. Matt Kimmel led the Mustangs' 11-hit attack, going 4-for-5 with a double and 3 RBI.

Skyline (2-0 last week, 10-2 KingCo, T-1st Crest Division) - The Spartans needed a 2-0 week to keep pace with Redmond and got it with wins over Inglemoor on Tuesday and Eastlake on Thursday. Against the Vikings, junior right hander Adrian Sampson improved his league record to a perfect 6-0 and lowered his ERA to 1.41, surrendering just 1 earned runs in the complete game victory. Sampson struck out nine, bringing his league leading total to 52 against just 13 walks in 38 2/3 innings. Thursday, the offense carried the torch, pounding out 14 hits to lead Skyline to the 11-3 win over the Wolves. Ryan Gilchrist and William Chandler each had three hits for the Spartans, who are tied atop the Crest Division with Redmond, both sporting 10-2 records.

Issaquah (2-0 last week, 6-6 KingCo, 3rd Crest Division) - The Eagles emphatically snapped a three game losing streak with impressive wins over Woodinville and Garfield. On Tuesday, Issaquah scored 4 in the first and another 4 in the third en route to an 11-3 win over the Falcons. A balanced attack was the key offensively, as five different Eagles had multi-hit games. On Thursday, Issaquah completed the perfect week behind junior right hander Shane Yarnell, defeating Garfield, 8-2. Yarnell gave up just two unearned runs in a 90-pitch complete game victory. Issaquah holds a one-game lead over Newport for third place in the Crest Division at 6-6.

Thursday (4/23) Results

Quick update this morning with more details later. Three more teams - Redmond, Skyline and Woodinville - wrapped up spots in the KingCo 4A playoffs based on Thursday's results...

Crest Division
Skyline 11, Eastlake 3
Redmond 14, Newport 2
Issaquah 8, Garfield 2

Crown Division
Inglemoor 10, Bothell 6
LW 9, Ballard 2
Roosevelt 4, Woodinville 2

Standings are updated with last night's results. Four regular season games remain for each team, with the playoffs set to start on Saturday, May 9th.

Tuesday (4/21) Results: Crest Sweeps Crown

The final day of cross-division play was owned by the Crest division, as they swept through the Crown division with a perfect 6-0 record. I will expand more on the results later - in the meantime, here are Tuesday's scores:

• Redmond 7, Lake Washington 6
• Skyline 6, Inglemoor 2
• Issaquah 11, Woodinville 3
• Garfield 3, Ballard 1
• Eastlake 3, Bothell 2
• Newport 9, Roosevelt 2

Standings are updated - both Bothell and LW clinched playoff berths despite their losses on Tuesday night. Three more teams can secure playoff berths today, as the magic number for Skyline, Redmond and Woodinville is 1.

Final Day of Interdivisional Play

Tuesday's games are the last interdivisional games of the season until the playoffs begin on Saturday, May 9th. Starting on Thursday, the league hits the home stretch, with the final five games being played within the Crest and Crown divisions. The schedule is highlighted by a clash between two first place teams as Lake Washington (8-2) travels to Hartman Park to take on Redmond (8-2) in the KingCo 4A's lone night game (7:00 pm). The other games on the slate are:

Inglemoor (5-5) @ Skyline (8-2), 3:45 pm
Bothell (8-2) @ Eastlake (3-7), 3:45 pm
Ballard (2-8) @ Garfield (2-8), 3:45 pm
Roosevelt (1-9) @ Newport (4-6), 3:45 pm
Woodinville (7-3) @ Issaquah (4-6), 3:45 pm

Week 4 KingCo 4A Players of the Week

KingCo 4A Baseball - Players of the Week
Week 4: April 13-18, 2009

Crest Division
Player of the Week: Michael Russo, Jr., Eastlake
Russo, a junior third baseman for the Wolves, is the winner of the Crest Division player of the week for week 4. Russo finished the week 3-for-9 (.333) with a triple, home run and 4 RBI. The triple turned out to be a game-winner in a 1-0 win over Ballard on Friday afternoon. Overall this season, Russo is batting .222 with four home runs and 15 RBI.

Also nominated: Dylan Davis, Redmond

Pitcher of the Week: Nick Hooper, Jr., Eastlake
Making the week 4 awards a clean sweep for Eastlake is junior right hander Nick Hooper, who picked up the hardware for Crest Division pitcher of the week. Making his first KingCo start of 2009, the junior came within one out of a no-hitter against Ballard on Friday. He needed just 76 pitches to go the distance, allowing just a double in the seventh inning. Hooper finished the day with 10 strikeouts against no walks. For the season, the right handed pitcher is 2-0 with an 0.55 ERA, with 2 walks and 13 punchouts in 12 2/3 innings.

Also nominated: Mac Acker, Redmond

Crown Division
Player of the Week: Eric Folkers, Sr., Lake Washington
Folkers, the senior corner infielder, becomes the second Kang in as many weeks to pick up the Crown Division player of the week award, following up teammate Chris Viltz who was the week 3 winner. Folkers won the week 4 award based on a week which saw him go 4-for-10 (.400) with a double, two home runs and five RBI. The highlight of the week was a two home run performance at Bellevue CC against Newport. Folkers is currently tied for the KingCo lead in home runs with 4, and leads all players with 16 RBI. Overall this season, Folkers is hitting .357 with 4 doubles, 4 home runs and 20 RBI.

Also nominated: Gene Watson, Bothell; Obadiah Taylor, Inglemoor

Pitcher of the Week: Brett DeRooy, Sr., Woodinville
In a week full of dominant pitching performances, Brett DeRooy is the winner of the Crown Division pitcher of the week award for week 4. The senior southpaw, who is headed to Washington State this year, was exceptional on Friday night, allowing just 3 hits and an earned run while striking out 11 in a win over Newport. For the season, DeRooy is 1-2 with a 3.43 ERA, recording 35 strikeouts in 32 2/3 innings of work. His 29 strikeouts in KingCo play are good for 4th in the league.

Also nominated: Obadiah Taylor, Inglemoor; Kevin McShane, Bothell; Karl Myers, LW; Christian Kaiser, LW

Expanding on Friday's Results

Friday in the KingCo conference featured some incredible pitching performances, while tightening the races for first place in both the Crown and Crest divisions...

• Bothell 7, Skyline 2 - In a battle of first place teams, the Cougars banged out 14 hits en route to a 7-2 win over the Spartans. Kevin McShane allowed 2 earned runs over 5 2/3 innings to pick up the win for Bothell, who improved to 8-2 in league play. Zach Schwindt was 3-for-3 with an RBI and Tyler Atkinson, James Korn and Alex Reynolds each had two hits in the win. For Skyline, Blake Fulghum took the loss despite recording 10 strikeouts in just 4 innings pitched. Ryan Somers added a double in a losing effort.
• Redmond 7, Inglemoor 3 - Sophomore Dylan Davis broke a 3-3 tie in the top half of the seventh inning with a grand slam, propeling the 'Stangs into a first place tie in the Crest division with a 7-3 win over the Vikings. Davis's home run was his fourth in KingCo play, putting him in a tie with teammate and fellow sophomore Michael Conforto and LW's Eric Folkers for the league lead. Ryan Beliel and Zach Abbruzza combined to hold Inglemoor to 3 hits in the contest, while junior Matt Kimmel had a double and 2 RBI. Eric Edwards was 1-for-2 with an RBI for the Viks, who dropped to 5-5 in the Crown division with the loss.
• LW 2, Issaquah 1 - Senior Alex Potts' bases loaded single in the bottom of the seventh scored pinch runner Alex Donnelly with the winning run as the Kangs won their fourth straight, 2-1 over Issaquah. The rally was started by senior outfielder Andy Moore, who drove the first pitch of the seventh inning into the left-center field gap for a triple. Following two intentional walks to load the bases and a strikeout, Potts (3-for-4, 2 doubles) hit a fly ball over the drawn-in right fielder, giving LW the walk-off win. Christian Kaiser allowed just 3 hits and a run, striking out 12 before giving way to Blake Lively, who earned the win with a shutout inning of relief. Issaquah's Shane Yarnell was the tough luck loser, giving up two earned on seven hits over six innings, walking none while striking out nine. Shortstop Michael Dixon chipped in with a solo home run in the fifth for the Eagles, who saw their losing streak stretch to three games.
• Woodinville 10, Newport 2 - Senior left-hander Brett DeRooy struck out 11 in 6 innings of work and Sean Murphy and Matt Stefansson each drove in two runs as the Falcons kept pace with the Crown division leaders with a 10-2 win over Newport. DeRooy was masterful, keeping the Knights off balance all night allowing just 2 hits and a walk during his time on the mound. Senior catcher Carver Marshall had a double and a run scored for the Knights, who remained tied with Issaquah in third place in the Crest division at 4-6.
• Garfield 5, Roosevelt 4 (8 inn.) - The Bulldogs pushed across two runs in the top of the seventh and another in the top of the eighth for a come-from-behind 5-4 win over the Roughriders. Junior Kyle Snow picked up the win for Garfield, working 3 1/3 innings of shutout ball, allowing for the late game comeback. Nick Conte and Joe Lucia had two hits a piece for the 'Dogs, who picked up their second win of KingCo play. For Roosevelt, Nick Foster and Andrew Johnson each finished the day with two hits.
• Eastlake 1, Ballard 0 - Michael Russo's RBI triple in the top of the first inning provided the only run in Eastlake's 1-0 win over Ballard on Friday afternoon. The game was featured two incredible pitching performances by the Wolves' Nick Hooper and Ballard's Nick Palewicz. Hooper took a no-hitter into the seventh, with Grady Williams' double being the only hit he'd give up on the day. He also didn't surrender a walk while striking out 10. Palewicz matched Hooper pitch for pitch after the first, allowing 3 hits and 4 walks in a complete game loss. With the win Eastlake climbs to within a game of third place Issaquah & Newport at 3-7.

In the Crest Division, Skyline and Redmond have separated themselves from the pack at 8-2, a full four games ahead of Issaquah and Newport for third place. Meanwhile, in the Crown Division, Bothell, Lake Washington and Woodinville are separated by just one game, with the Cougs and Kangs at 8-2 and the Falcons one game back at 7-3.

Next week features a Tuesday-Thursday two game set-up and the final game of interdivisional play before a five game final stretch featuring only divisional games. Tuesday's big game (and only night game) is a battle between first place teams at Hartman Park when Redmond plays host to Lake Washington.

Friday (4/17) Scores

Busy weekend so far for me. Here are Friday's scores with more details and updated standings to follow later today...

Friday, 4/17 Scores
Eastlake 1, Ballard 0
LW 2, Issaquah 1
Bothell 7, Skyline 2
Redmond 7, Inglemoor 3
Woodinville 10, Newport 2
Garfield 5, Roosevelt 4

Wednesday (4/15) Wrap

Wednesday's results brought some separation in the Crest Division, only to see more crowding in the Crown Division...

• Redmond 4, Bothell 1 - It was the "sophomore show" once again for Redmond as sophs Dylan Davis and Michael Conforto played key roles in the Mustangs 4-1 win over Bothell. Davis and Conforto each homered in the game, while Davis was dominant on the mound, allowing just 1 unearned run on 2 hits in a complete game victory. Josh Bircher chipped in with two doubles for Redmond, improved to 7-2 in league play. Gene Watson had one of the two Cougar hits while Evan Hudson took the loss, which dropped Bothell into a tie for first with Lake Washington in the Crown Division.
• Lake Washington 10, Newport 5 - Eric Folkers homered twice and drove in four runs to lead the Kangs past Newport, 10-5. The senior corner infielder hit a solo shot in the third and followed that up with a back-breaking three-run blast in the seventh which pushed LW's lead from 2 to 5. Folkers now leads the KingCo 4A conference in RBI (16) and is tied for the league lead in home runs with 4. Chris Viltz continued swinging a hot bat, finishing the day 2-for-3 with a double and three runs scored. For Newport, shortstop Trase Tam Sing was 3-for-3 with a double and 2 runs scored, while second baseman Brad Binder had two hits of his own. LW improves to 7-2 on the season, while Newport sees its record drop to 4-5.
• Skyline 10, Ballard 5 - The Spartans used an eight run third to fight off an early deficit and run their win streak to seven games with a 10-5 win over the Beavers. Junior right hander Adrian Sampson struck out 12 in 6 innings of work to improve to a league-best 5-0. Skyline was led by a balanced attack which saw four players (Sean Penberthy, Shawn Ellis, Jake Knecht and Jacob Shannon) drive in 2 runs a piece. Senior shortstop Ryan Somers was 2-for-4 with a double and a triple for the Spartans, who remained a game ahead of Redmond in the Crest Division at 8-1. Connor McClure and Grady Williams each had 2 hits for Ballard, which dropped its 6th straight game.
• Inglemoor 6, Issaquah 4 - The pitching hero a night before, sophomore Obadiah Taylor came through for Vikings with the bat on this day, leading a 13-hit attack with three of his own as Inglemoor won its second straight, 6-4 over Issaquah. Junior left-hander Spencer Trautman worked 6 innings to pick up the win, allowing 7 hits and 4 runs (3 earned). Sam Johnston and Scott Meyers homered for the Vikings, who improved to 5-4 with the W. For the Eagles, junior right hander Shane Yarnell suffered his first loss of the season. They were led offensively by the two hits of Devin O'Donnell.
• Woodinville 7, Garfield 1 - Senior Shawn Murphy allowed just 6 hits and a run over 6 1/3 innings of work to lead the Falcons to the 7-1 win over Garfield at Bobby Morris Field in Seattle. Preston Longoni was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI and 2 stolen bases for Woodinville, who closed to within a game of first place in the Crown Division at 6-3. Week 3 pitcher of the week Sean Gilman suffered the loss for the Bulldogs, allowing 7 runs (5 earned) in his five innings on the bump. Jack Jajewski was 2-for-3 with a double as Garfield dropped to 1-8 on the season.
• Roosevelt 9, Eastlake 8 - The Roughriders scored four times in the top of the seventh and held on for dear life to pick up their first win of the season, 9-8 over the Wolves of Eastlake. Colin Gipner pitched 6 1/3 innings for the win, while Johnson was 3-for-5 with 2 RBI. Eastlake shortstop Nick Smith was 3-for-5 with 2 runs scored and an RBI in a losing effort.

The Crest Division now has a clear cut top two teams, with second place Redmond (7-2) a full three games ahead of Issaquah and Newport (4-5). The 'Stangs trail Skyline (8-1) by just one game for first place. Meanwhile, in the Crown Division, the top four teams are separated by just two games, with Bothell and LW on top at 7-2 followed closely by Woodinville (6-3) and Inglemoor (5-4).

Friday's action features a Crest-Crown showdown, when first place Skyline travels to first place Bothell. Game time is at 6:00 at Bothell HS. Other games include Redmond @ Inglemoor, Eastlake @ Ballard, Garfield @ Roosevelt, Newport @ Woodinville and Issaquah @ Lake Washington.