Playoff Races Heating Up

As we hit the home stretch of the KingCo 4A conference regular season, playoff races are heating up. In the Crest Division, there is a three-way tie for first place. Meanwhile, in the Crown Division, the final spots in the KingCo tournament are up for grabs.

Crest Division

• Newport 4, Redmond 3 - With the Crest Division lead on the line and Redmond leading 3-1 with 2 outs in the 7th, it looked as if the Mustangs were going to even the season series and take a two-game lead over Newport. Knights senior Trase Tam Sing had other ideas however, smashing a three-run home run off Redmond closer Matt Kimmel to give his team and eventually the game, 4-3. Junior Jared Fisher was the winning pitcher, going the distance allowing 3 runs and 4 hits. The three runs all came off the bat of Redmond junior Dylan Davis, who hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first and added a solo shot in the 4th. Fellow junior Zach Abbruzza allowed just 1 run in six innings, but did not factor in the decision. Both teams ended the night at 9-3, in a three-way tie with Issaquah for the division lead.
• Issaquah 8, Garfield 2 - UW-bound senior Spencer Rogers was 3-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI and allowed 2 runs in six innings on the mound as the Eagles cruised to an 8-2 win over Garfield. The win improved Issaquah to 9-3 in league play, including 6 wins in their last 7 KingCo contests. Connor Young was 2-for-3 with a double and 2 runs scored and Devin O'Donnell drove in 2 to help the Eagles in victory. Garfield falls to 2-10 with the loss and is a loss or a Skyline win away from being eliminated from playoff contention.
• Skyline 3, Eastlake 0 - The Spartans reduced their magic number to 1 to clinch a playoff berth by topping Eastlake on Friday, 3-0. Connor Lawhead and Jayce Nelson combined on the shutout, allowing just 5 hits and striking out 8. Skyline scored single runs in the 2nd, 3rd and 6th innings, with Tyler Neudorfer and Jim Sinatro pacing the offense with 2 hits a piece. Joe Shaffer went the distance in the loss, allowing 3 runs (2 earned) on 7 hits. With the loss, Eastlake was eliminated from playoff contention.

Crown Division

• Bothell 6, Inglemoor 5 - Junior Brian McAfee scattered 10 hits in a complete game, adding a home run and 2 RBI in Bothell's 6-5 win over Inglemoor. The Vikings jumped out to an early four run lead, but the Cougars responded with a 5-run third. Inglemoor tied the game in the top of the fifth before giving it back up for good in the bottom of the frame. Mitchell Gonsolus homered twice in defeat for the Viks, who lost for just the second time in 12 KingCo games. The win was Bothell's second straight following a 5 game losing streak, giving them a one-game lead over Ballard and Lake Washington for third place in the Crown Division at 6-6.
• LW 7, Ballard 1 - The Kangs broke a 1-1 tie with a 4-run fifth inning en route to a critical 7-1 win over Ballard on Thursday. Senior Trevor Dunlap pitched his second complete game against Ballard this season, working out of jams in the first three innings before cruising to victory in the final four frames. He ended up allowing just 1 earned run on 8 hits while striking out 3. The win forced a tie for the final playoff spot in the Crown Division, with Lake Washington owning the tiebreaker thanks to a season sweep over the Beavers. LW stole 10 bases in the game, including 6 in the game-changing fifth. Nori Shimizu and Colin Tremblay each drove in 2 runs for the Kangs, while David Doerr and Danny Thompson had 2 hits a piece for Ballard.
• Roosevelt 6, Woodinville 5 (8 inn.) - Senior Andrew Johnson had 3 hits and 2 RBI for Roosevelt, who topped the Falcons 6-5 in eight innings. The win was the third in four games for the Roughriders, who are making a late-season push towards a possible playoff spot. David Holt picked up the win in relief, allowing two earned runs over the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Sophomore Spencer Greer took the loss for Woodinville, who dropped to 7-5, one game ahead of Bothell for second place in the Crown division.

Newport-Redmond Highlights Thursday Action

Thursday brings the return of divisional play, with the final five games of the season being played with each respective division. Amazingly enough, each of the six days of cross-division play were an even split, with 3 Crown teams and 3 Crest teams winning each day. Both divisions finished 18-18 in crossover play.

Today's feature game pits the Crest Division leading Redmond Mustangs (9-2) and the second place Newport Knights (8-3). Newport won the first contest, 4-1 with two-time KingCo 4A pitcher of the week Jeffery Gonzales outdueling Redmond ace Dylan Davis. A win for the Knights tonight would put them in a tie with the 'Stangs and give them the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 pm at Hartman Park.

Other games include:

• Woodinville (7-4) @ Roosevelt (2-9), 3:45 pm
• Skyline (5-6) @ Eastlake (1-10), 3:45 pm
• Inglemoor (10-1) @ Bothell (5-6), 6:00 pm
• Ballard (5-6) @ Lake Washington (4-7), 7:00 pm

The Garfield (2-9) @ Issaquah (8-3) game will be played tomorrow due to a scheduling conflict.

Half of League's Playoff Berths Secured

Tuesday saw four teams clinch spots in the KingCo 4A playoffs, including three teams in the highly competitive Crest Division. The other four spots will be up for grabs when divisional play returns on Thursday.

• Redmond 8, LW 3 - Dylan Davis struck out 12 over 5 2/3 innings and also had a game-changing bases loaded double as the Mustangs remained atop the Crest Division with an 8-3 win over Lake Washington. Davis allowed 3 earned on 3 hits in his time on the mound, and hit his big double in the fifth when the game was tied 2-2. Senior Josh Bircher contributed 2 hits and 3 runs scored to help the Mustangs clinch a playoff berth. The loss was the fourth straight for LW, who was led by the 2 RBI of Trevor Dunlap.
• Inglemoor 7, Skyline 6 (9 inn.) - Craig Jacobson's RBI single capped a three-run bottom of the ninth as Inglemoor fought back for a 7-6 win over the Spartans. The game was tied at 4-4 in the ninth when Skyline shortstop Nate Litka hit a two-run double off Viking reliever Dustin Doucette to give Skyline the 6-4 lead. Inglemoor would not be denied on this night however, with an RBI double by Marc Dickerson and a wild pitch tying the game and setting up Jacobson's heroics. Inglemoor became the first team in the Crown division to clinch a playoff berth, and improved to 10-1 in league play in the process. Skyline fell to 5-6, but maintained their three game lead over Garfielf for the final playoff spot in the Crest.
• Issaquah 5, Woodinville 1 - Senior Shane Yarnell outdueled fellow ace Luke Taylor, as the Eagles used a 3-run sixth inning to break open a close game and top Woodinvlle, 5-1. Yarnell went the distance again, improving to 5-0 in KingCo play allowing just 3 hits and a walk while striking out 6. Senior catcher Devin O'Donnell was 1-for-3 with 2 RBI and Jake Bakamus had two hits for Issaquah, who secured a spot in the KingCo playoffs with the win. Sophomore Shea Donlin doubled and drove in the lone Falcon run. Woodinville now sits at 7-4, 3 games behind division leading Inglemoor.
• Ballard 2, Garfield 0 - Junior Danny Thompson hit a 2-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh, as Ballard completed an impressive stretch against the Crest division with a 2-0 win over Garfield. Ballard won 4 of 6 crossover games, and senior Ryan Garrett was a big reason why. The southpaw, fresh off his win against Redmond, tossed a 3-hit shutout, striking out 7 against just 2 walks. Garfield sophomore John Trupin matched Garrett pitch for pitch until the dramatic seventh inning. The win puts the Beavers in a fourth place tie with Bothell, one game ahead of Lake Washington for the final playoff spot in the Crown division.
• Bothell 11, Eastlake 2 - Senior Evan Hudson returned from a short hiatus to toss six solid innings as Bothell snapped a 5-game losing streak with an 11-2 win over Eastlake. Hudson allowed two earned runs while striking out eight Wolves. The game was tied at 2 in the fifth, when they erupted for six runs to take command. Ryan Morgan was 3-for-4 with 4 RBI and Kevin Knapp was 2-for-3 with a double and three runs scored for Bothell, who improved to 5-6. Eastlake dropped their seventh straight conference game and sits at 1-10.
• Newport 7, Roosevelt 2 - Seniors Jeff Gonzales and Joey Gale combined on a 1-hitter and Reid Dilley had a double and an RBI as the Knights improved to 8-3 with a win over Roosevelt. Reigning Crown division pitcher of the week Tim Moore took the loss, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) and 4 hits in 5 innings of work. Newport, who are assured a spot in the KingCo playoffs, will take on Redmond Thursday in a battle for first place in the Crest Division.

Week 4 KingCo Awards

KingCo 4A Baseball - Players of the Week
Week 4: April 12-17, 2010

Crest Division
Player of the Week: Grant Gellatly, Sr., Issaquah
In a week where he collected seven hits including three doubles, Issaquah senior Grant Gellatly picks up the KingCo 4A Crest Division player of the week award for week 4. Gellatly, the Eagles shortstop who missed all of 2009 due to injury, finished the week 7-for-11 (.636) and added 3 runs scored and 2 walks. Through 10 KingCo games, he is hitting .375 (15-for-40) with 12 runs scored and 7 doubles.

Also nominated: Dylan Davis, Redmond; Kelby McCorkle, Eastlake; Sam Nasci, Eastlake

Pitcher of the Week: Jeffery Gonzales, Sr., Newport
Newport senior righthander Jeff Gonzales wins the pitcher honors in the Crest Division for his dominant performance against Lake Washington. Gonzales went the distance in shutting out the Kangs, allowing just 1 hit and 3 walks while striking out 11. The UW bound senior got stronger as the game went along, striking out the final five batters of the game. Gonzales improved to 3-0 in league play, sporting a 1.83 ERA in 23 innings of work.

Also nominated: Zach Abbruzza, Redmond; Shane Yarnell, Issaquah

Crown Division
Player of the Week: Connor Jones, Sr., Woodinville
Connor Jones, a senior first baseman/designated hitter for the Falcons, is the week 4 Crown division player of the week. Jones finished the week 7-for-11 (.636) with two doubles, a home run and 3 RBI. He played a major role in Woodinville's 11-inning win over Newport, going 5-for-6 including the game winning two-run home run in the top of the 11th. Jones is currently hitting .500 (8-for-16) in conference play while slugging .813.

Also nominated: David Doerr, Ballard; Mitchell Gonsolus, Inglemoor

Pitcher of the Week: Tim Moore, Jr., Roosevelt
Thanks to a complete game victory over Eastlake on Wednesday, Roosevelt junior pitcher Tim Moore has been awarded the Crown division pitcher of the week for week 4. Moore went the distance scattering six hits and a walk while striking out five. For the season, Moore is 1-1 with a 5.44 ERA in 18 innings pitched.

Also nominated: Graylin Derke, Roosevelt; Ryan Garrett, Ballard