First Round Set - Playoffs Start Saturday

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

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

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

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

Rain Delays Final Seeding

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

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

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

Redmond Wins Crest; Woodinville in Playoffs

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

Games affecting KingCo Tourney

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

Other Tuesday Results

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

Week 6 KingCo Awards

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

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

Also nominated: Jack Jajewski, Garfield

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

Also nominated: None

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

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

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

Also nominated: Obidiah Taylor, Inglemoor

Playoff Outlook

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

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

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

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


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

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

Eliminated from playoffs:
Roosevelt (3-12)

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

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

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

Issy's Rogers Tosses No-Hitter

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

Crest Division

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

Crown Division

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

Friday (4/30) Preview

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

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

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

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

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

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

Inglemoor Clinches Crown Division

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

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

Crest Plays Monday, Crown Washed Out

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

Crest Division

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

Crown Division

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

Week 5 KingCo Awards

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

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

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

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

Also nominated: None

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

Also nominated: None

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

Also nominated: Trevor Dunlap, LW

KingCo 4A Playoff Format

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

Tournament Format / Notes

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

First Round Matchups - Saturday, 5/8

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

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

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

You can view the full KingCo 4A standings here.

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

Friday (4/16) Wrap

Friday saw the last unbeaten fall as well as a log jam form for the final two playoff spots in the Crown Division...

• Redmond 4, Inglemoor 2 - A pitchers duel at Hartman Park went the way of the Mustangs as Redmond became the first KingCo team to knock off Inglemoor, 4-2. Junior right hander Zach Abbruzza kept the potent Viking offense in check, scattering 7 hits and 2 earned runs in the complete game victory. Fellow junior Dylan Davis homered and drove in 2 for Redmond, who claimed sole possession of first place in the Crest Division at 8-2 with the win. Craig Jacobson and Garrett Vandiver each had two hits and a double for Inglemoor, who fell to 9-1 with the loss.
• Woodinville 9, Newport 7 (11 inn.) - Connor Jones' two run home run in the top of the eleventh broke a 7-7 tie and gave the Falcons their fourth straight win, 9-7 over Newport. Jones finished the day 5-for-6 and added a double and three runs scored. Spencer Brueske picked up the win in relief, as Woodinville took a strong hold on second place in the Crown Division, 3 games ahead of Ballard, Bothell and Lake Washington. Billy Sahlinger had four hits and a double in a losing effort, while Nick Clifford and Victor King added home runs for the Knights, who dropped a game behind Redmond.
• Issaquah 12, Lake Washington 2 - Connor Young's three-run home run capped a seven-run first inning as the Eagles pounded Lake Washington, 12-2. Issaquah banged out 13 hits on the afternoon, with five different players having multi-hit days. Senior Spencer Rogers struck out 7 in a 5-inning complete game, and added 3 RBIs at the plate. Alex Donnelly and Colin Tremblay both doubled for the Kangs, who lost their third straight game to drop to 4-6 in league play.
• Skyline 7, Bothell 2 - Senior righthander Conner Lawhead won for the second time in four days as Skyline used a 6-run fourth inning to top Bothell 7-2. Lawhead, who pitched four shutout innings on Monday to beat Roosevelt, allowed just 2 hits and 2 earned runs in 5 2/3 innings of work. Nate Litka and Aaron Caditz had two doubles each, while Anthony DeMatteo and Mikey Smith drove in two runs a piece. The loss was Bothell's fifth straight to drop them to 4-6, while Skyline completed a perfect week, evening their record at 5-5.
• Ballard 18, Eastlake 10 - A slugfest on the plateau went the way of the Beavers, as they pounded out 16 hits en route to an 18-10 win over Eastlake. Ballard scored multiple runs in every inning but the second, with senior Charlie Beaudoin leading the way with 2 hits and 3 RBI. Ballard has won three of five games against Crest Division foes, and pulled into a 3-way tie for third place in the Crown at 4-6.
• Roosevelt 7, Garfield 0 - Graylin Derke shutout the Bulldogs over 5 1/3 innings to lead Roosevelt to their second straight win, 7-0 over Garfield. Derke also chipped in offensively with 2 of the 11 Roughrider hits on the afternoon. Both teams finished the week with 2-8 league records.
  

With six league games left, there is clear separation in both divisions. Redmond, Newport, Issaquah and Skyline appear on their way to playoff berths in the Crest Division, with the Spartans holding a three game lead over Garfield for the fourth and final playoff spot. Meanwhile, Inglemoor and Woodinville have pulled away from the rest of the Crown Division, with Ballard, Bothell and Lake Washington in a dog fight for the #3 and #4 seeds.

Wednesday (4/14) Results

A little behind...Monday's recaps are still forthcoming, as well as more details about the Week 3 POW's. Here's a closer look at last night's results.

• Inglemoor 7, Issaquah 6 (8 inn.) - The Vikings extended their unbeaten streak in KingCo play in dramatic fashion, with Scott Meyers' walk-off double in the bottom of the eighth inning pushing Inglemoor past Issaquah 7-6. The win improved Inglemoor to 9-0 in league play, three full games ahead of second place Woodinville in the Crown Division. Senior center fielder Marc Dickerson hit a solo home run in the contest and also made an incredible run-saving catch in the top of the eighth. Emmett Maki worked an inning of shutout relief to pick up the win. Marcus Gaan was 2-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI for the Eagles, who fell out of a first place tie with the loss.
• Redmond 12, Bothell 8 - Junior Dylan Davis struck out 7 in 5 innings of work and also homered and drove in 3 to lead the Mustangs past Bothell, 12-8. Redmond scored early and often, jumping out to a 10-2 lead after five before Davis gave way to the Redmond bullpen. Bothell rallied with six runs in the bottom half of the sixth inning, but could get no closer than 2 runs. Zach Abbruzza, Matt Kimmel and T.J. Whidby each drove in 2 for the Mustangs, who improved to 7-2 in KingCo play. Michael Marriott drove in 3 runs for Bothell, who suffered their fourth consecutive defeat after starting league play 4-1.
• Woodinville 8, Garfield 3 - Sophomore Shea Donlin and senior Luke Taylor were each 3-for-3, helping the Falcons win their third straight game, 8-3 over Garfield. Taylor also picked up the win on the mound allowing 3 runs over 5 innings of work while striking out 5. Knuckleballer Ian Zapolsky, who beat Bothell a week earlier, suffered the loss for the Bulldogs. Sophomore T.C. Florentine chipped in with a home run for Woodinville.
• Newport 4, Lake Washington 0 - Senior right hander Jeffery Gonzales was the story, dominating the Kangs to the tune of a 1-hit shutout as Newport bounced back from Monday's loss to shutout LW, 4-0. Gonzales struck out 11, including the final five hitters of the game. Senior Trevor Dunlap was the tough luck loser for Lake Washington, allowing three earned runs over six innings. Trace Tam Sing returned to action for Newport after missing a few games with an ankle injury, and drove in one of the four Knights runs.
• Skyline 8, Ballard 0 - Senior Jayce Nelson had his second straight impressive outing, shutting out the Beavers over six innings to lead the Spartans to an 8-0 win. Nelson, who was 5 days removed from allowing 1 run in 6 innings against Woodinville, surrendered just 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3. Nate Litka was 2-for-4 with a double, home run and 2 RBI and Anthony DeMatteo drove in three for Skyline, who improved to 4-5. Charlie Beaudoin took the loss for Ballard, who fell to 3-6, one game behind Bothell and Lake Washington for third place in the Crown Division.
• Roosevelt 2, Eastlake 1 - Tim Moore went the distance for Roosevelt, allowing just six hits and an earned run with 5 punchouts as the Roughriders picked up their first KingCo win, 2-1 over Eastlake. Both teams finished the day with 1-8 records in league play.

Week 3 KingCo Awards

KingCo 4A Baseball - Players of the Week
Week 3: April 5 - 10, 2010

Crest Division
Player of the Week: Spencer Rogers, Sr., Issaquah
Spencer Rogers, a senior committed to the University of Washington, wins player of the week honors in the Crest divsion for week 3. Rogers finished the two game week 3-for-7 with a walk, 3 runs scored and 3 RBI. He also was the winning pitcher in the Eagles 13-1 win over Ballard, allowing 3 hits and a run in a complete game victory.

Also nominated: None

Pitcher of the Week: Shane Yarnell, Sr., Issaquah
A clean sweep of the week 3 awards for the Eagles, as senior righthander Shane Yarnell is the pitcher of the week in the Crest division. Yarnell tossed a 1-hit, 76-pitch complete game shutout in Issaquah's 4-0 win over Roosevelt. The senior improved to 3-0 in KingCo play, striking out 5 while not walking a single batter. For the season, Yarnell has a 1.24 ERA with 3 walks and 16 strikeouts in 17 innings pitched.

Also nominated: Ryan Beliel, Redmond

Crown Division
Player of the Week: Scott Meyers, Sr., Inglemoor
Inglemoor senior outfielder Scott Meyers is the Crown division week 3 player of the week for his performance in the Vikings 2-0 week. Meyers was 3-for-6 with a triple, home run and 4 RBI, helping Inglemoor stay unbeaten at 7-0 in KingCo play. Meyers is the second straight Viking to win the award, following up junior Peter Meiusi, who took home the honors last week.

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

Pitcher of the Week: Luke Taylor, Sr., Woodinville
Based on a one-hit shutout of Skyline, Woodinville senior Luke Taylor is the winner of the pitcher of the week award in the Crown division for week 3. Taylor, a University of Hawaii signee, outdueled Skyline's Jayce Nelson in a 1-0 win for the Falcons. He allowed just the one hit and two walks while striking out five.

Also nominated: Trevor Dunlap, LW

State Rankings and Week 4 Preview

This week's high school rankings are out, and the KingCo 4A conference is well represented in both polls. In the Washington State Baseball Poll, Inglemoor checks in at #2, with Newport (#7) and Redmond (#8) also cracking the top 10. Four KingCo teams are ranked in the Seattle Times 4A state poll, with Newport the highest ranked team at #2. Inglemoor follows a #7, and Redmond (#9) and Issaquah (#10) round out the top 10.

Click the links below for the full state rankings from each site:

• Washington State Baseball Poll
• Seattle Times State Rankings

This week features many premier matchups, with unbeaten Inglemoor facing their toughest test yet. The Vikings, who enter the week on a nine-game win streak (7-0 in league play), will start the week against Crest Division co-leader Newport (6-1). Wednesday brings a home date with Issaquah (5-2), with Inglemoor traveling to Redmond (6-1) on Friday to face off against the other co-leader in the Crest Division.

Catching Up...

Two rainout make-ups were played last week and did not get recapped...

• (Wednesday) Skyline 13, Garfield 3 - The Spartans broke a 3-3 tie with a 10-run sixth inning, topping Garfield 13-3. The outburst came immediately following the Bulldogs tying the game at three in the top half of the frame. Junior Nate Litka was 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI and senior Sean Penberthy drove in 4 runs for Skyline.
• (Friday) Lake Washington 10, Eastlake 7 - LW rebounded from a slow start to top the Wolves, 10-7. Eastlake scored five runs in the top of the first inning, with RBI hits by Joseph Johnson and Quinn Hawksworth. The Kangs responded with three runs in the bottom of the first and put up 7 runs in the 4th, 5th and 6th innings to take a lead they would not relinquish. Senior Jamie Wallace picked up the win in relief, working 4 1/3 shutout innings, while junior Bob Cruikshank was 3-for-4 with a double and 3 RBI. LW stole eight bases in the game, and currently leads the KingCo conference with 31 stolen bases.