Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Higher Seeds Prevail in 4A Action

Monday saw the higher seeds hold serve, with the two division winners advancing to Thursday night's KingCo championship game...

Winners Bracket
Bothell 2, Inglemoor 1 - For the second straight game Bothell won a pitcher's duel, this time behind senior Henry Baillargeon as the Cougs defeated rival Inglemoor, 2-1. The win puts Bothell into Thursday night's KingCo championship and also secures a state tournament berth. The Cougars scored a single run in the bottom of the first and held that 1-0 lead into the sixth. Emmett Maki drove in the tying run in the top of the sixth, but Bothell responded with a run of their own in the bottom half, taking the lead for good at 2-1. Baillargeon allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out four, outdueling Viking starter Obi Taylor, who was nearly as effective. The senior right hander allowed 2 runs (1 earned) in six innings of work, coming away with the loss. Dain Gilbert drove in one of the two Bothell runs, with Mitchell Viydo finishing the night 2-for-3. Inglemoor's season will be on the line Tuesday night, when they take on Woodinville at 7:00 PM.

Newport 10, Skyline 1 - University of Oregon signee Cole Wiper continued his dominant season, striking out seven over six innings to lead the Knights to the championship game after a 10-1 victory over Skyline. Wiper was a little wild, but was able to work around five walks to allow just the one run. Senior Lee Stoops was 2-for-2 with 3 RBI, while juniors Curtis Kojima and Mason Paul chipped in with two hits a piece. Skyline will take on Redmond Tuesday at 4:00 PM in a loser out game. Meanwhile, Newport secured a bid to the state tournament with the win, and will take on Bothell in Thursday night's KingCo championship game. Both teams will enter the contest riding 9 game win streaks, with Newport having won the only regular season meeting between the clubs, 8-0.

Losers Bracket
Redmond 15, Issaquah 3 - Last year's KingCo champions showed their resolve on Monday, responding to an opening round loss with a 15-3 win over Issaquah. Senior Nick Rothermel and junior Patrick McGrath each homered and drove in five runs, with junior Peter Hendron contributing with a 3-for-4 night, doubling and driving in 2. Michael Conforto, T.J. Whidby and Thomas Crosley staffed the game for the Mustangs, who advance to another loser out game Tuesday against Skyline. Issaquah junior shortstop Jake Bakamus was 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI in the Eagles' final game of the season. The young squad's season ends with a 6-10 record in KingCo play, 8-14 overall.

Woodinville 11, Ballard 6 - Senior Carl Svanevik doubled twice and drove in four, sparking the Falcons to an 11-6 win over Ballard on Monday night. Junior Spencer Greer gave up two runs in the first, but settled in nicely after that while his teammates gave him the offensive support he needed. Woodinville would take the lead with 3 runs in the third and blew the game open with 4-spots in the fifth and sixth innings. Ballard would score four times in the seventh and get the tying run to the on-deck circle, but could not complete the miraculous comeback. Junior Shea Donlin was 2-for-2 with a double, 2 RBI and 3 runs scored for the Falcons, who will take on Inglemoor Tuesday night in a loser out game. Ballard was led by Brendan Foor (3-for-4, 2 runs) and Ryan Kangas (2-for-4, 2 runs) in the season's final game.

Monday, May 9, 2011

Monday 4A Playoff Schedule

Semi-Finals (winner-to-state)
4:00 PM - Inglemoor (Crown #3) vs. Bothell (Crown #1)
7:00 PM - Skyline (Crest #3) vs. Newport (Crest #1)
** games at Woodinville HS

Loser's Bracket (loser out)
4:00 PM - Issaquah (Crest #4) vs. Redmond (Crest #2)
7:00 PM - Ballard (Crown #4) vs. Woodinville (Crown #2)
** games at Inglemoor HS

4A Playoffs - First Round Recaps

Pitching dominated the first round of the KingCo 4A playoffs on Saturday, with the four winning teams combining to allow just five total runs.

KingCo 4A - First Round Results
Inglemoor 8, Redmond 1 - For the second time this season, Vikings senior right-hander Dustin Doucette stymied the Mustangs, this time in an 8-1 Inglemoor playoff win. Doucette allowed just one run on five hits while striking out five, sending his Viks to a winner-to-state game on Monday. Junior Blake Wilson led the Inglemoor attack, finishing the day 2-for-4 with a double and 3 RBI. Redmond will also play Monday afternoon at 4:00 PM in a loser-out game at Inglemoor HS.

Bothell 2, Issaquah 0 - In what should come as no surprise to followers of the KingCo baseball blog, Bothell's Brian McAfee continued to be the story, outdueling Issaquah senior Brandon Mahovlich in a 2-0 Cougar win. McAfee extended his scoreless streak to an incredible 46 innings, allowing just four hits and not walking a single batter while striking out six. John Mercer and Mitchell Viydo drove in runs in the first and fifth innings, with McAfee taking care of the rest. Bothell will square off with Inglemoor for a spot in the KingCo championship, while Issaquah will fight for their lives in an elimination game against Redmond.

Skyline 4, Woodinville 1 - Brandon Fischer and Zach Liddle each hit solo home runs, propeling the Spartans to a 4-1 win over Woodinville. The game was delayed for over an hour due to rain and lightning, with Skyline prevailing through the raindrops. Senior Travis Snider picked up the win, with junior Marty Luckenbach taking the loss for Woodinville.

Newport 12, Ballard 3 - The Knights scored multiple runs in each of the first three innings, cruising to a 12-3 opening round victory over the Beavers. UW bound senior Jared Fisher allowed three runs in 5 2/3 innings of work and also doubled and drove in three runs. Cole Wiper, Daniel Altchech and Billy Sahlinger each drove in two runs a piece, pacing Newport's 12-hit attack. Newport advances to the Monday night's semi-finals at Woodinville HS, where they will take on Skyline at 7:00 PM. Meanwhile, Ballard will face Woodinville at Inglemoor HS on Monday with the loser going home.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

4A Playoffs Start Today

The KingCo 4A playoffs get underway today at Woodinville HS. Here is today's schedule:

Saturday, May 7th

10:00 AM - Inglemoor (Crown #3) vs. Redmond (Crest #2)
1:00 PM - Issaquah (Crest #4) vs. Bothell (Crown #1)
4:00 PM - Skyline (Crest #3) vs. Woodinville (Crown #2)
7:00 PM - Ballard (Crown #4) vs. Newport (Crest #1)

I will post updates on Twitter (@KingCoBaseball) as I receive them.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Playoff Seeding Finalized

Playoff Brackets: [ 4A Tournament ] [ 3A Tournament ]

Just one game remains on the KingCo regular season schedule, but with both Mount Si and Lake Washington having locked up the #1 and #2 seeds respectively, it will not impact the playoff seeding. One game and one coin flip yesterday determined the #3 - #6 seeds in the upcoming 3A tournament.

Thursday 3A Recap
Liberty 12, Sammamish 2 - A nine-run first inning helped the red-hot Patriots cruise to a 12-2 win over Sammamish. The win locked up the #5 seed in the KingCo playoffs, with Sammamish sliding in at #6. Senior Ryan Maio was 2-for-2 with a double and a home run, with Scott Zerda (3-for-4, RBI) and Harrison Diemert (2-for-3, run) also contributing to the offense. Junior Ben Wessel was the winning pitcher, helping Liberty complete a 5-2 second half. Senior Aaron Lawrenson and junior Ryan Hashimoto each had two hits for the Totems.

Bellevue earns #3 seed - The Wolverines and Islanders didn't play a game on Thursday, but their seeding in the playoffs was determined by a coin toss. Bellevue won and will enter as the #3 seed, with Mercer Island taking the #4.
So, the first round tournament matchups are finalized:

Tuesday, 5/10 - Bannerwood Park
4:00 PM - #3 Bellevue vs. #6 Sammamish
7:00 PM - #4 Mercer Island vs. #5 Liberty

Thursday, May 5, 2011

KingCo Playoff Scenarios (Through Wed 5/4)

Playoff Brackets: [ 4A Tournament ] [ 3A Tournament ]

KingCo 4A - Crest Division
1) Newport (11-3) ** wins tiebreaker over Redmond (division record)

2) Redmond (11-3)
3) Skyline (8-6)
4) Issaquah (6-8)
Eliminated: Eastlake (1-13)

KingCo 4A - Crown Division
1) Bothell (13-2)
2) Woodinville (9-5) ** season sweep over Inglemoor
3) Inglemoor (9-6)
4) Ballard (6-8)
Eliminated: Garfield (3-12), Roosevelt (2-13)

First Round Playoff Schedule
Saturday, 5/7 @ Woodinville HS
10:00 AM: Inglemoor (9-6) vs. Redmond (11-3)
1:00 PM: Issaquah (6-8) vs. Bothell (13-2)
4:00 PM: Skyline (8-6) vs. Woodinville (9-5)
7:00 PM: Ballard (6-8) vs. Newport (11-3)





KingCo 3A

1) Mount Si (11-1)
2) Lake Washington (8-5)

3/4) Bellevue (7-7) / Mercer Island (7-7)
- teams split regular season series

- coin flip (on Friday) will determine seeding
5/6) Liberty (5-8) / Sammamish (4-9)
- winner of today's game between Liberty & Sammamish will be the #5 seed
- loser of today's game will be the #6 seed
Eliminated: Juanita (3-11)

Playoffs start Tuesday, 5/10 with 3 vs. 6 and 4 vs. 5 games. Top 2 seeds earn a bye to second round on Thursday.

Walk-off Wednesday in 3A

Four close games highlighted Wednesday's 3A action, with three of the games being decided in the final at-bat.

3A Results
Lake Washington 3, Bellevue 2 - LW scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning, erasing a one-run deficit and walking off on Bellevue, 3-2. Sophomore Alac Wong scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch after Chris Moore had tied the game with a bases loaded single. The win, coupled with Mercer Island's loss to Sammamish, clinched the #2 seed for the Kangs in the upcoming KingCo 3A playoffs. Senior Bob Cruikshank earned the win on the mound, going the distance allowing just 2 earned runs while striking out 4. Sophomore Stevie Semler finished the night 3-for-3, while senior Chris Moore added two hits and the game-tying RBI. For Bellevue, Drew Quinlan was the tough luck loser, pitching well and keeping LW off balance the entire night. Reid Wagner added two hits and an RBI for the Wolverines, who will be seeded either #3 or #4 in the tournament based on a coin flip.

Sammamish 9, Mercer Island 6 - The Totems rallied back from an early deficit to clinch a playoff berth with a 9-6 win over Mercer Island. Sammamish improves to 4-9 in league play with the win, and will enter the KingCo tournament as either the #5 or #6 seed, pending results of their game with Liberty Thursday. Aaron Lawrenson's bases clearing triple sparked the Totems late-game rally. Mercer Island falls to 7-7 with the loss and will slot in at #3 or #4 depending on a coin flip against Bellevue on Friday.

Liberty 5, Juanita 4 - Continuing their strong play in the second half, the Patriots knocked off Juanita in walk-off fashion Wednesday, 5-4. Liberty improves to 4-2 in the second half following a 1-6 start to the season. Juanita led 4-1 through 4 1/2 innings behind a strong performance on the mound from sophomore Ty Eng. They could not hold off Liberty however, giving up four runs over the final three innings. Liberty will take on Sammamish on Thursday in a battle for the #5 seed in the KingCo playoffs. Juanita, who was led offensively by seniors Sean Barlow (2-for-4, triple, 2 RBI) and Mitch Gebe (solo HR), was eliminated from the playoffs with the loss, finishing with a 3-11 league record.

Mount Si 3, Interlake 2 - In a classic pitcher's duel, the Wildcats came out on top in the end, scoring a run in the bottom of the 8th inning to down Interlake, 3-2. The Saints led 2-0 through 5 behind solid pitching from Carl Snaring and Austin Strother. Junior Trevor Taylor kept Mount Si in the game, allowing 2 earned over 6 innings of work. The Wildcats pushed across two runs in the sixth to tie the game, and send the home fans home happy with the walk-off win. Senior shortstop Tim Proudfoot homered and scored two runs for the Wildcats, who finish the regular season on Thursday night at Lake Washington having already secured the league's top seed. Interlake's regular season ends at 8-6 and they will head off to 2A for their district playoffs.

4A Results
Newport 9, Eastlake 4 - The Knights secured the #1 seed in KingCo's Crest Division by knocking off Eastlake Wednesday, 9-4. Newport scored six times in the first inning and twice more in the second, jumping out early and never looking back. Junior Billy Sahlinger was the winning pitcher, surrendering 7 hits and 2 earned while striking out 8 in 6 innings of work. He also helped himself at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Seniors Nick Clifford (1-3, HR, 3 RBI) and Keith Van Court (3-for-4, run scored) also chipped in offensively. Newport finishes the regular season in a tie with Redmond at 11-3, but wins the tiebreaker over the 'Stangs thanks to a better divisional record. They will open the KingCo tournament Saturday at Woodinville HS - 7:00 PM against Ballard. Eastlake's season ends with a 1-13 KingCo 4A record.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

KingCo Playoff Scenarios (Through Tue 5/3)

Playoff Brackets: [ 4A Tournament ] [ 3A Tournament ]

KingCo 4A - Crest Division
1 & 2) Newport (10-3) / Redmond (11-3)
- IF Newport wins over Eastlake Wednesday: #1 - Newport / #2 - Redmond
- IF Newport loses to Eastlake Wednesday: #1 - Redmond / #2 - Newport
3) Skyline (8-6)
4) Issaquah (6-8)
Eliminated: Eastlake (1-12)

KingCo 4A - Crown Division
1) Bothell (13-2)
2) Woodinville (9-5) ** season sweep over Inglemoor
3) Inglemoor (9-6)
4) Ballard (6-8)
Eliminated: Garfield (3-12), Roosevelt (2-13)




KingCo 3A

1) Mount Si (11-1)
2/3/4) LW (7-5) / Bellevue (7-6) / Mercer Island (7-6)
- remaining games: Bellevue @ LW (Wed); Sammamish @ MI (Wed); Mt Si @ LW (Thu)
- season series: Bellevue beat LW (2nd game today); LW-MI split; MI-Bellevue split
- pending results, each team could finish 2, 3 or 4
5/6) Liberty (4-8) / Sammamish (3-9) / Juanita (3-10)
- remaining games: Juanita @ Liberty (Wed); Sammamish @ MI (Wed); Sammamish @ Liberty (Thu)
- season series: Sammamish-Juanita split; Juanita beat Liberty (2nd game today); Sammamish beat Liberty (2nd game tomorrow)
- pending results, each team could finish 5, 6 or 7.
- 5 & 6 make KingCo 3A playoffs

KingCo 3A/2A Awards: Week 4

KingCo 3A/2A Baseball - Players of the Week
Week 4: April 25 - 30, 2011

Players of the Week: Bob Cruikshank, Sr., Lake Washington / Ryan Hashimoto, Jr., Sammamish
The KingCo 3A/2A Player of the Week award for week 4 was split between two worthy student-athletes. Lake Washington senior Bob Cruikshank and Sammamish junior Ryan Hashimoto share this week's award based on strong performances. Cruikshank, who will play baseball next season at the University of San Francisco, finished his three games 6-for-11 with 2 doubles, 2 home runs and 3 RBI. His home run on Friday against Interlake tied LW's school record for single-season home runs (5). For the season, Cruikshank is hitting .429 in league play, with 6 doubles and four home runs. Hashimoto's week consisted of him hitting .556 (5-for-9) with a double, 2 RBI and 2 stolen bases. He additionally picked up the save in a big Totems' win over Bellevue, tossing two shutout innings.

Also nominated: Steve Semler, LW; Alex Himstead, MI; Matt Orehek, MI

Pitcher of the Week: Zach Johnson, Jr., Lake Washington
Junior Zach Johnson is the KingCo 3A/2A Pitcher of the Week based on a shutout on Saturday night over Juanita. The southpaw scattered just six hits, walking none and striking out a career high 11 Rebel batters in the Kangs 6-0 win. Johnson went to a 3-ball count just three times on the night and dropped his KingCo ERA to 2.29.

Also nominated: Reece Karalus, Mount Si

Final Days of KingCo Regular Season

The final week of KingCo play started on a wet Monday, with just one game getting in. Tuesday brought a bunch of rescheduled games, many of which will have a significant impact on seeding for the upcoming 3A and 4A KingCo playoffs.

4A Links: [ Current Standings ] [ Playoff Bracket ]
3A Links: [ Current Standings ] [ Playoff Bracket ]





Monday/Tuesday 4A Results
Newport 3, Redmond 2 - In a showdown between the Crest division's top two teams, Newport avenged an early season loss with a 3-2 win over the Mustangs. Senior Cole Wiper and junior Aaron Sandefur combined to strikeout 14 Redmond batters, while seniors Nick Clifford and Jared Fisher each hit home runs. Fisher's was a two-run shot in the fourth inning off Redmond senior Zach Abbruzza and put the Knights ahead for good. Newport's win brings them within a half-game of Redmond and they will try to close that gap on Wednesday when they travel to Eastlake. A Knights win will be their sixth straight in league, and will secure a Crest Division championship, as they own the tiebreaker over the Mustangs thanks to a better divisional record.

Skyline 9, Issaquah 6 - The Spartans rallied, scoring 6 times in the top of the seventh inning to stun the Eagles, 9-6. Senior Travis Snider picked up the win, working the final two innings and keeping Issaquah off the board. Senior Nate Litka was 2-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI, with junior Clayton Huber chipping in with 3 RBI. Skyline finishes the regular season at 8-6 in KingCo play, and will enter the playoffs as the Crest Division's #3 seed. Junior Ethan Kalin hit a grand slam in the first inning for Issaquah, who finishes at 6-8 and will take on Bothell in the first round of the playoffs.

Bothell 1, Garfield 0 - The Cougars finished off a tremendous KingCo regular season, topping the Bulldogs 1-0 on Monday night. Senior Brian McAfee worked 5 shutout innings to extend his scoreless streak to 39 innings. He also doubled home the only Bothell run on the night. Fellow seniors Eric Gregory and Henry Baillargeon each tossed scoreless innings to preserve the 1-0 win. Bothell finishes KingCo play at 13-2 and enters the playoffs as the Crown Division #1 seed. Zach Ward had two of the three hits for Garfield, whose season ends with a 3-12 league record.

Inglemoor 5, Roosevelt 4 - Inglemoor capped off its regular season in style, winning in walk-off fashion on senior night, 5-4. The Vikings carried a 4-1 lead into the sixth inning, only to see the Roughriders tie the game with a 3-run sixth inning. Senior Dustin Doucette picked up the win in relief, and was helped by Connor Savage's 2-for-4 night. Inglemoor's KingCo record is 9-6, and they are the Crown Division's #3 seed. They will take on either Newport or Redmond at 10:00 AM on Saturday morning in the first round of the KingCo 4A tourney. Roosevelt's sees their season end with a 2-13 record.

Tuesday 3A Results
Mercer Island 5, Bellevue 3 - Mercer Island kept its hopes alive for a first round bye with a 5-3 win over Bellevue on Tuesday. Details on this game not available. Bellevue finishes up its regular season Wednesday night when they travel to Lee Johnson Field to take on Lake Washington. A win on Wednesday will keep their hopes for a #2 seed and a first round bye alive. MI takes on Sammamish Wednesday in its finale, needing a win to stay in the mix for the #2 seed.

Liberty 3, Mount Si 2 - The Patriots got a much needed win in their playoff chase, knocking off previously unbeaten Mount Si, 3-2. Junior Izak Styskal was the winning pitcher, which puts Liberty at 4-8. A win over Juanita on Wednesday will clinch a playoff spot for the Pats. Junior Trevor Lane took the loss for Mount Si, who is locked in as the KingCo 3A #1 seed at 11-1. Max Brown was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI in a losing effort.

Interlake 3, Juanita 1 - Griffin Sutich scattered 7 hits and a run in a complete game victory, as Interlake improved to 8-5 with a 3-1 win over Juanita. Sophomore Carl Snaring doubled and drove in two for the Saints, who will head to 2A districts for their postseason playoffs. Juanita drops to 3-10 with an important game against Liberty on tap for Wednesday.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Playoffs Around the Corner

The final week of KingCo league play is here and the playoff picture for both leagues is coming into focus. In the 4A league, all eight playoff teams have been decided, with a few seeding questions to be decided. In the 3A, Mount Si is the regular season champions, currently perfect with an 11-0 league record. Three other teams have clinched a playoff berth, while the three other 3A teams are in a dog fight for the final two spots.

Here's a quick breakdown:

KingCo 4A Conference

Crest: In the Crest Division, Redmond's magic number is 1 to clinch the crown. They currently hold a 1 1/2 game lead with one games remaining for them and two games left for second place Newport. If the Knights win on Monday, Tuesday's game between the two clubs would factor into seeding. Neither team will fall below second place, as Skyline (the current #3) cannot catch Newport. The Spartans and Issaquah play Monday - a Skyline win clinches the #3 seed, while an Issaquah win will force a coin flip for seeding.

Crown: Congratulations to the Bothell Cougars, who at 12-2 are the Crown Division champions. They will go into the KingCo 4A tournament as the #1 seed. The other seeds are set as well. Woodinville will be the Crown #2 seed, as they hold a one-game lead on third-place Inglemoor and swept the season series. The Vikings will be Crown #3, with the Ballard Beavers securing the fourth and final Crown division playoff spot.

KingCo 3A Conference

Congratulations to the Mount Si Wildcats, who are the KingCo 3A regular season champions and will enter the playoffs as the league's top seed. Bellevue and Lake Washington are currently tied at 7-5, with Mercer Island just one game back at 6-6. Those three teams have clinched playoff berths and are currently fighting for the #2 seed and a first round bye in the tourney. MI & Bellevue are scheduled to play Monday, with Bellevue traveling to LW on Wednesday. The final two playoff spots are up for grabs, with three teams in hot pursuit. Liberty currently holds the #5 seed due to playing one less game than Sammamish & Juanita. All three teams have 3 league wins, with Liberty playing Sammamish Monday and Juanita on Wednesday. Weather permitting, these next three days will determine a lot prior to the league playoffs.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

McAfee Runs Scoreless Streak to 34 Innings

The season is hitting the home stretch, with just two weeks of games left before the playoffs start in both the 3A and 4A divisions. I will have a post up later this week with the playoff formats. In the meantime, check out the standings in both the 3A and 4A divisons.

Tuesday 4A Results
Bothell 2, Woodinville 0 - An incredible pitchers duel took place at Woodinville HS on Tuesday night, with the Bothell Cougars victorious in a 2-0 win over the Falcons. Senior Brian McAfee pitched his third consecutive 1-hitter (and fourth on the season), allowing just a Shea Donlin hit in the seventh inning in yet another complete game shutout. Junior Spencer Greer was every bit as good for Woodinville, allowing just one hit himself, also coming in the seventh inning. The Cougars plated unearned runs in the 2nd and 6th inning, which was plenty for McAfee. The right hander has not allowed a run in his last five starts spanning 34 innings. Over that stretch, he has allowed 9 hits and 8 walks, striking out 45 in one of the most amazing pitching displays I can remember in my 10 years involved in HS baseball.

Skyline 4, Redmond 3 - Senior Travis Snider went the distance, scattering 4 hits and striking out 4 as the Spartans knocked off top-ranked Redmond, 4-3. The Spartans won in walk-off fashion, scoring the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Brandon Fisher homered for Skyline, who also got help offensively from Snider (2-for-3, double) and Jimmy Sinatro (2-for-2, double, RBI). Peyton Lutz doubled in the loss for Redmond, who is now just 1 1/2 games over second place Newport in the Crest Division.

Eastlake 2, Issaquah 1 - Sophomore Josh Barokas struck out 8 in a complete game, leading Eastlake to their first KingCo win of 2011, 2-1 over Issaquah. The sophomore outdueled Eagles starter Brandon Mahovlich, who also pitched a complete game. Juniors Robert Nolan and John Armour, along with senior Derek Papke each had two hits to lead the Wolves attack.

Inglemoor 17, Ballard 6 - The Vikings used an 11 run second inning in cruising to a 17-6, 5-inning win over Ballard. No other details available.

Garfield 5, Roosevelt 1 - The Bulldogs kept their playoff hopes alive behind junior John Trupin's six strong innings, as they topped Roosevelt 5-1. Trupin allowed 6 hits and a run over his six innings of work to pick up the win. Zach Ward doubled and drove in three for Garfield, who improved to 3-9 on the season - two games behind fourth place Ballard for the final KingCo Crown Division playoff spot.


Tuesday 3A Results
Mercer Island 14, Lake Washington 12 - The second meeting between these two clubs was much like the first, with MI coming out victorious this time over LW, 14-12. The first meeting was also a slugfest, with the Kangs prevailing in 11 innings. This time, the teams combined for 26 runs on 27 hits with sophomores leading the way for the Islanders. Matt Orehek and Alex Himstead combined to go 7-for-8 and drive in 8 of the Mercer Island 14 runs. Orehek's three-run double and Himstead's two-run home run aided MI's 9-run second inning, which was enough to hold off a late Kangs rally. For LW, sophomore Stevie Semler was 3-for-4 with two doubles and 3 RBI, while senior Bob Cruikshank and junior Theo Alexander each homered. MI improves to 5-5 and trails Bellevue and LW by just one game for second place in the KingCo 3A.

Interlake 6, Sammamish 4 - Junior Jake Wilson drove in four runs as the Saints won their third straight, 6-4 over Sammamish. Senior Griffin Sutich was the winning pitcher for Interlake, who is 6-4 in league despite competing as a 2A team. Sammamish fell into a tie with Liberty at 2-8 for the final KingCo 3A playoff spot.

Liberty 10, Bellevue 0 - The Patriots snapped a 6-game KingCo losing streak in a big way, upsetting Bellevue 10-0. No other details available.

KingCo 3A/2A Awards - Week 3

KingCo 3A/2A Baseball - Players of the Week
Week 3: April 18 - 23, 2011

Player of the Week: Jordan Richartz, Sr., Mercer Island
Senior outfielder Jordan Richartz wins the award for week 3, putting on an incredible offensive display. Being moved into the leadoff spot by MI coach Cory Smith, Richartz went off, finishing the week 7-for-10 with 5 doubles and an amazing 9 runs scored. He also drove in four runs of his own, and was the winning pitcher in MI's win over Juanita.

Also nominated: Max Brown, Mount Si; Dustin Breshears, Mount Si

Pitcher of the Week: Michael Raine, Bellevue
Junior Michael Raine wins the Pitcher of the Week for his shutout over Lake Washington on Monday. The right-hander, who was nominated for the award the previous week, scattered seven hits and struck out 5 in Bellevue's 3-0 win over the Kangs. He worked out of a couple jams, including getting an inning-ending double play ball with the bases loaded in the LW sixth.

Also nominated: Hunter Goldberg, Mercer Island; Trevor Taylor, Mount Si

KingCo 4A Awards - Week 5

KingCo 4A Baseball - Players of the Week
Week 5: April 18 - 23, 2011

Crest Division
Player of the Week: Dylan Davis, Sr., Redmond
The friendly confines of Hartman Park treated another Mustang well this week as senior Dylan Davis captures player of the week honors due in large part to a three run homerun against the Eastlake Wolves. On the week, Davis was 4-8 with 5 RBI, 3 runs scored, and 3 stolen bases. The week bumped his KingCo batting average to .471, good enough for 4th in the conference. Davis is the third Redmond player to capture the honor this year.

Also nominated: None

Co-Pitchers of the Week: Jared Fisher, Sr., Newport; Zach Abbruzza, Sr., Redmond
Two dominant performances on the mound earned Newport’s Jared Fisher and Redmond’s Zach Abbruzza as co-pitchers of the week for the Crest Division. Fisher shut down rival Issaquah with a six inning, two hit, no run performance. He struck out 11 Eagles on the day. Abbruzza tossed five no hit innings for the Mustangs against the Eastlake Wolves. He walked two and struck out six.

Also nominated: None

Crown Division
Player of the Week: Dain Gilbert, Sr., Bothell
Bothell 3B Dain Gilbert edges out three others to capture Player of the Week for the Crown Division. The senior had three big RBI in helping the Cougars to wins over Skyline and Roosevelt. On the week, he was 3-6.

Also nominated: Nelson Cooper, Ballard; John Trupin, Garfield; Spencer Scott, Garfield

Pitcher of the Week: Dustin Doucette, Sr., Inglemoor
After allowing the first hitter he faced to score, Inglemoor’s ace Dustin Doucette settled in nicely in dominating the Redmond Mustangs. The hard throwing righthander threw a complete game propelling his team to a 7-1 win over the league’s only remaining unbeaten. He struck out thirteen Mustangs on the night and only allowed two free passes. The win moves Doucette to 3-1 in KingCo play and lowers his ERA to 2.89.

Also nominated: Brian McAfee, Bothell; Caleb Jaeger, Ballard; John Trupin, Garfield

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Mount Si Strengthens Hold on 3A

Wednesday kicked off the second half of KingCo 3A play. The schedule will mirror the first half, with the home teams being different the second time around.

Wednesday 3A Results
Mount Si 13, Bellevue 3 - The league's two hottest teams squared off at Bellevue HS on Wednesday, with Mount Si creating separation between itself and the rest of the league with a dominant 13-3 win over Bellevue. The Wolverines had come in winners of six straight since their season opening loss to the Wildcats, but were no match on this day. Outfielder Nate Sinner was 3-for-3 with a double, while Shane Dixon and Reece Karalus each doubled and drove in two. Mount Si also took advantage of five Bellevue errors on the afternoon. Junior Trevor Taylor was the winning pitcher, allowing 2 hits and 3 runs over 5 innings of work. Mount Si improves to 8-0 and holds a two-game lead in the conference standings.

Lake Washington 5, Sammamish 2 - Junior Zach Johnson and senior Duke Fanning combined on a 2-hitter, keeping the Totems at bay in LW's 5-2 win. Johnson struck out 8 over 5 1/3 innings of work before handing the ball over to Fanning, who recorded the final five outs. The Kangs used small ball to put their runs on the board, pushing across three runs via sacrifice fly and another on a wild pitch. Senior Spencer Jackson was 1-for-2 with 2 RBI and fellow senior Nori Shimizu doubled and scored two runs for the Kangs, who improved to 5-3. Senior Bob Cruikshank extended his hit streak to 14 games with a single in the 5th inning.

Mercer Island 10, Juanita 7 - The Islanders rallied late, using a 4-run top of the seventh to comeback and beat Juanita, 10-7. MI trailed 7-6 headed into the final frame, but was able to tie the game on a clutch single by Alex Himstead. A Rebel error allowed the go ahead run to score, and sophomore Matt Orehek added insurance with a 2-run single. The Islanders held off Juanita in the seventh to even their record at 4-4.

Liberty @ Interlake - no score reported

Vikings Hand Mustangs First Loss of Season

Tuesday marked the last day of crossover games between the Crown and Crest divisions, with divisional play on tap to close out the KingCo 4A schedule.

Tuesday 4A Results
Inglemoor 7, Redmond 1 - Senior Dustin Doucette was dominant in knocking off the lone KingCo 4A unbeaten, striking out 13 in a complete game win over the Mustangs. Doucette outdueled Redmond's Dylan Davis, allowing just a single run in the top of the first inning. Gonzaga bound Mitchell Gonsolus was 2-for-3 with a double and drove in 3, while Adam Mosebar tripled and had 2 RBI for Inglemoor. Senior Zach Abbruzza, who will join Gonsolus as a Zag in the fall, drove in the lone Redmond run. Inglemoor pulls into a second place tie with Woodinville, with the rivalry renewing on Thursday night at Inglemoor HS.

Bothell 8, Skyline 0 - Senior Brian McAfee's dominant season continued Tuesday in the Cougars 8-0 shutout win over Eastlake. McAfee threw his second straight one hitter and third of the season, striking out 6 Spartans in the complete game victory. Since allowing two runs to Roosevelt in the KingCo opener, the senior right hander has tossed 27 consecutive scoreless innings. He has allowed just 8 hits and struck out 39 opposing batters over that stretch, lowering his league ERA to a miniscule 0.44. Samuel Lee was 3-for-4 with 3 RBI and Jon Mercer homered and scored twice in the Coug win, upping their record to 8-2 on the season.

Newport 10, Roosevelt 0 - Junior right hander Billy Sahlinger struck out 6 in five shutout innings and seniors Jared Fisher and Cole Wiper combined for 7 hits as the Knights shutout Roosevelt, 10-0. Fisher finished the day 4-for-5 with a double and 2 RBI, while Wiper was 3-for-4 with a double and 2 runs scored. Newport is now 7-3 and will take on Issaquah Thursday in a battle for second place in the Crest Division. Zach Naon was 2-for-3 for the Roughriders.


Issaquah 4, Woodinville 3 - The Eagles continued their hot play, scoring two runs in the top of the eighth inning to down the Falcons, 4-3. Issaquah's Brandon Mahovlich and Woodinville's Spencer Greer both turned in strong performances on the mound before turning things over to the bullpens. Junior Ethan Kalin drove in one of the two Eagle extra inning runs, while Ben Roselini finished the night 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. Clarke Bader homered for Woodinville, who is now 6-4 with 5 games left in the KingCo slate.

Garfield 3, Eastlake 1 - Spencer Scott was 2-for-3 with a double, triple and 2 RBI helping the Bulldogs pick up their second league win, 3-1 over Eastlake. Junior southpaw John Trupin went the distance, scattering 5 hits and a walk while striking out 8. Chandler Honican and Ruben Palmer were each 1-for-3 with a run scored for Garfield.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

KingCo 3A/2A Awards - Week 2

KingCo 3A/2A Baseball - Players of the Week
Week 2: April 11 - 16, 2011

Player of the Week: Tim Proudfoot, Sr., Mount Si
For the second straight week, a Mount Si Wildcat is the KingCo 3A/2A player of the week, this time with the award going to shortstop Tim Proudfoot. The senior had a week to remember, homering five times in the Wildcats perfect 3-0 week. He hit 3 jacks in Monday's win over Interlake and had one each against Sammamish and Lake Washington. Proudfoot finished the week 6-for-11, scoring eight runs and driving in 6 more, and has yet to commit an error at shortstop for the 7-0 Wildcats.

Also nominated: Bob Cruikshank, LW

Pitcher of the Week: Reece Karalus, Jr., Mount Si
Right-hander Reece Karalus made it a clean sweep of the awards for Mount Si in week 2, collecting KingCo 3A/2A Pitcher of the Week. Karalus was dominant in a six-inning outing against Lake Washington, allowing just 5 hits and a run. He walked just one batter while striking out 12 on the afternoon, keeping his team in the tight game throughout.

Also nominated: Michael Raine, Bellevue; Bob Cruikshank, LW; Spencer Jackson, LW

KingCo 4A Awards - Week 4

KingCo 4A Baseball - Players of the Week
Week 4: April 11-16, 2011

Crest Division
Player of the Week: Michael Conforto, Sr., Redmond
Oregon State bound Michael Conforto’s bat is starting to heat up. The senior SS had a big three game week against Bothell, Roosevelt and Woodinville. On the week he was 5-9 with 3 HR’s and one 2B, driving in four. He also drew 5 free passes, scoring 9 runs in the three games. It is Conforto’s first player of the week award and the fourth straight for a Mustang offensive player.

Also nominated: Peter Hendron, Redmond

Pitcher of the Week: Brandon Mahovlich, Jr., Issaquah
In a complete game effort against the Ballard Beavers, the Eagles’ junior righthander pitched his team to an 8-3 win. He fanned eight Ballard hitters in the process, only walking three. The performance capped a four game Kingco 4A win streak for Issaquah.

Also nominated: Adam Cline, Redmond

Crown Division
Player of the Week: Reid Martinez, Sr., Roosevelt
Roosevelt’s senior outfielder did it all this past week for the Roughriders, earning Kingco 4A Player of the Week honors. At the plate, he was 6-9, scoring four runs. He also drove in four as he hit two doubles and a homerun. On the base paths, Martinez was equally dangerous as he swiped five bases. Currently Martinez leads Kingco 4A with ten stolen bases.

Also nominated: Nelson Cooper, Ballard

Pitcher of the Week: Brian McAfee, Sr., Bothell
The senior pitcher continues to dazzle on the year, amassing some staggering pitching numbers. This week against Issaquah, McAfee threw 6 1/3 no-hit innings. At the end of the day, he captured Crown Pitcher of the Week honors as he threw a one hit complete game shutout, striking out ten while only walking one. The performance allowed the Cougars to escape with a 1-0 win (McAfee also hit the solo homerun that decided the game). This is McAfee’s second time receiving Pitcher of the Week recognition this year. This is his third consecutive shutout in Kingco play and he has only allowed two runs in four Kingco games on the year.

Also nominated: Joe Jacobson, Ballard

Mount Si / Bellevue Set for 3A Showdown

Wins by Bellevue and Mount Si on Monday set up a clash for first place Wednesday. Game time is at 4:30 PM at Bellevue HS. The Wolverines have won six straight since their opening day loss to the Wildcats, 8-5. Meanwhile, Mount Si swept the first half of the KingCo season, going a perfect 7-0.

Monday 3A Recaps
Bellevue 3, LW 0 - Junior Michael Raine had another impressive outing for the Wolverines, keeping the Kangs off balance in a 3-0 Bellevue win. Raine went the distance, scattering seven hits and a walk while striking out 5. He needed to throw just 92 pitches in the shutout. Jeff Van Orman doubled twice and drove in a run for Bellevue, who improved to 6-1 with the win. Junior Zach Johnson was 2-for-3 for the Kangs, who lost their second straight to drop to 4-3.

Mount Si 13, Interlake 1 - The Wildcats continued to roll, busting things open with an 8-run seventh inning as they cruised to a 13-1 win over Interlake. Junior Trevor Lane was impressive once again on the mound, earning the victory. Mount Si once again had a balanced offensive attack, combining for 16 hits on the afternoon. Senior Dustin Breshears tripled and drove in four, while fellow senior Max Brown (3-for-4, double, 3 runs) and junior Reece Karalus (2-for-3, double, 3 RBI) also chipped in. Interlake's Joey Button hit a solo home run in the 3rd inning for the Saints only run.

Mercer Island 19, Sammamish 2 - The Islanders busted out in a big way Monday, scoring multiple runs in every inning but the first en route to a 19-2 win over Sammamish. Max Dammeier, David Oppenheim and Jordan Richartz had two doubles a piece for MI, who had 15 hits in the five-inning contest. Hunter Goldberg was the winning pitcher, allowing just 2 runs while striking out 6 in his 5-inning complete game. Evan Thompson also had a big day at the plate, going 3-for-4 while scoring four runs and driving in three more. Navdeep Gill had two hits including a double for the Totems.

Juanita 9, Liberty 8 - Senior Sean Barlow homered and drove in 2 as the Rebels won a high-scoring affair, 9-8 over the Patriots. Jyran McNairy doubled and had 3 RBI, while Mitch Gebe was 2-for-2 with two doubles and three runs scored for Juanita. The Rebels win was their second straight and improved their record to 3-4 on the KingCo season.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Catching Up...

Busy weekend for the blog - I'll get caught up here on some notable performances from Wednesday & Friday games.
  • Redmond Remains Perfect in 4A- The Mustangs and Wildcats continued their domination of KingCo play, each posting 3-0 weeks last week. Redmond won their showdown with Bothell on Monday, 11-9 before dispatching of Crown division foes Roosevelt (16-0) and Woodinville (7-1). They are now 9-0 and three full games ahead of Newport for the Crest Division lead.
  • Mount Si Lone Other KingCo Unbeaten- The Wildcats put together their second straight 3-0 week to improve to 6-0 on the KingCo season. They cruised on Monday and Wednesday, winning their two games by a combined 23-3. Friday brought their first close game of the KingCo season and they prevailed there as well, topping Lake Washington 2-1. Junior Reece Karalus allowed just a run and struck out 12 over 6 innings of work. The game was tied 1-1 into the bottom of the seventh when Nate Sinner became an instant hero. He singled to left field with one out, plating Trevor Lane with the winning run and keeping Mount Si undefeated. The Wildcats will look to complete the sweep of the first round of league play when they take on Interlake Monday.
  • Wolverines Keep Pace with 3-0 Week- Bellevue remained just a game behind Mount Si in the KingCo 3A/2A standings, posting a perfect week with wins over Sammamish, Juanita and Mercer Island. The Wolverines only loss was an 8-5 defeat to Mount Si, but pitching and defense have helped them win every other league contest. They will take on Lake Washington Monday in a battle for second place in the conference.
  • Mound Domination on Wednesday- On Wednesday, eight of the nine winning teams allowed three runs or less, including 5 shutouts. Scoreless performances were tossed by Adam Kline (Redmond), Matt Lunde (Skyline), Brian McAfee (Bothell), Marty Luckenbach (Woodinville) and Bob Cruikshank (Lake Washington).
  • Proudfoot Smacks 5 Home Runs on Week - Mount Si senior shortstop Tim Proudfoot had a week for the ages, homering in each of the Wildcats' games on the week. He homered an amazing three times against Liberty, and hit one each against Sammamish and Lake Washington, leading his team to an undefeated start.
  • The Brian McAfee Show - Bothell senior Brian McAfee's incredible season continued last week, with him single-handedly beating Issaquah on Wednesday. In the Cougars 1-0 win over Issaquah, McAfee was 2-for-3 with his solo home run providing the only run of the game. On the mound, he had another dominant pitching performance, going the distance allowing just a hit and a walk while striking out 10.
  • Freshman Gets Totems their First Conference Win - Sammamish picked up its first league win of the season on Friday behind the arm of freshman Joe Giachetti. He went the distance, scattering 7 hits and allowing 3 runs (1 earned) in Sammamish's 4-3 win over Liberty.
  • Rebels Prevail in 11-inning Game - Juanita and Interlake played one of the season's best games Friday, with Juanita scoring a single run in the top of the 11th for a 2-1 win.
Here's a quick rundown of Wednesday & Friday scores, with notable performances:

Wednesday 4A Results
Redmond 16, Roosevelt 0
- Peter Hendron (Redmond) - 4-for-5, HR, 6 RBI
- Adam Kline (Redmond) - 5 inning, 2-hit shutout

Ballard 4, Newport 3
- Nelson Cooper (Ballard) - 2-for-2, 2 doubles, RBI

Skyline 7, Garfield 0
- Matt Lunde (Skyline) - 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 9 Ks
- Nate Litka (Skyline) - 2-for-4, double, triple, 2 RBI

Bothell 1, Issaquah 0
- Brian McAfee (Bothell) - 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 10 Ks; 2-for-3, solo HR
- Andrew Kemmerer (Issaquah) - 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 5 Ks

Woodinville 4, Eastlake 0
- Marty Luckenbach (W'Ville) - 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 Ks


Wednesday 3A Results
Mount Si 12, Sammamish 3
- Max Brown (MtSi) - 4-for-4, triple, 3 RBI
- Tim Proudfoot (MtSi) - 2-for-4, triple, HR

LW 10, Interlake 0
- Bob Cruikshank (LW) - 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 Ks; 2-for-4, 2 doubles, 4 RBI
- Zach Johnson (LW) - 2-for-3, 2 doubles

Mercer Island 15, Liberty 9
- Evan Thompson (MI) - 3-for-5, HR, 4 RBI
- George Jiranek (MI) - HR, 4 RBI

Bellevue 5, Juanita 1
- Drew Quinlan (Bellevue) - Allowed 1 run in the complete game victory


Friday 4A Results
Issaquah 6, Roosevelt 4
- Mitchell Morimoto (Issy) - 2-for-3, double, 3 RBI
- Reid Martinez (Roosevelt) - 2-for-3, triple, 2 runs

Skyline 6, Ballard 1
- Travis Snider (Skyline) - 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 6 Ks
- Clayton Huber (Skyline) - 3-for-3, RBI

Inglemoor 9, Eastlake 7
- Connor Savage (Inglemoor) - 4-for-4, double, RBI
- Obi Taylor (Inglemoor) - double, 2 RBI; Recorded final 8 outs of the game for the save, 5 via strikeout

Newport 8, Bothell 0
- Cole Wiper (Newport) - 7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 5 BB, 9 Ks - Nate Anderson & Aaron Sandefur (Newport) - each with a HR, 2 RBI

Redmond 7, Woodinville 1
- Zach Abbruzza & Michael Conforto (Redmond) - each with a HR, 2 RBI


Friday 3A Scores
Mount Si 2, Lake Washington 1
- Reece Karalus (MtSi) - 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 12 Ks
- Nate Sinner (MtSi) - walk-off single in bottom of the seventh
- Tim Proudfoot (MtSi) - solo HR (5th of the week)
- Spencer Jackson (LW) - 6.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER
- Bob Cruikshank (LW) - 2-for-3, solo HR

Bellevue 8, Mercer Island 7
- Jeff Van Orman (Bellevue) - 2-for-3, RBI
- Jack Carlson (Bellevue) - 3 HBP(!), 3 runs scored
- Jordan Richartz (MI) - 3-for-3, run
- Max Dammeier (MI) - 2-for-3, 2 doubles

Sammamish 4, Liberty 3
- Joe Giachetti (Samm) - CG, 7 H, 3 R (1 ER)

Juanita 2, Interlake 1
- 11 inning game
- Mitch Gebe (Juanita) - 3-for-5
- J.J. Caldwell (Juanita) - 2-for-4, RBI
- Austin Strothers (Interlake) - 8 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 5 Ks