Thursday, March 29, 2012

Spartans, Falcons Remain Unbeaten in KingCo Play

Skyline and Woodinville are now the lone unbeaten KingCo 4A clubs, winning by identical scores on Wednesday. Here's a look at the action from a wet and windy Wednesday.

Crest Division
Skyline 6, Newport 2 - Junior Matt Sinatro's two-out RBI double broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the seventh inning as Skyline topped Newport 6-2 in a battle of unbeaten Crest Division teams. Both starting pitchers threw the ball well, with reigning Crest Division pitcher of the week Matt Lunde exchanging blows with Newport starter Aaron Sandefur. Both allowed 2 runs in five innings before giving way to the bullpens. Skyline took advantage in the seventh, with Sinatro's double keying a four-run rally. Following the double, Jimmy Sinatro was intentionally walked. Senior Clayton Huber made the Knights pay, doubling home two more insurance runs for Skyline. Junior Corbin Powers picked up the win, working 2 shutout innings in relief of Lunde. The Knights were held to just 3 hits on the day, with their lone RBI coming from Kyle Goemmer.

Issaquah 6, Redmond 1 - Gonzaga signee Brandon Mahovlich kept the Mustang bats in check, allowing just a run on four hits as the Eagles topped Redmond on Wednesday night, 6-1. Mahovlich was effectively wild, walking six but striking out nine in the complete game victory. Issaquah scored 4 runs in the third off Mustang senior starter Peter Hendron, with Ethan Kalin driving in two. They tacked on 2 more in the 6th on a 2-run home run by senior catcher Andrew Kemmerer. Hendron, who was 2-for-3 with Redmond's lone RBI, took the loss for the 0-4 'Stangs.

Crown Division
Garfield 5, Inglemoor 0 - Senior Collin Evenson spun a 6-hit shutout and Liam McFeely doubled and drove in two as the Bulldogs evened their KingCo record at 2-2 with a 5-0 win over Inglemoor. Evenson needed just 87 pitches in the complete game victory, not walking a single batter while striking out 3. McFeely's double started the scoring in the third inning, and Garfield tacked on two more runs in the fourth and a single tally in the sixth en route to the impressive win. Junior Willie Augustavo doubled for the Vikings, who dropped to 1-3 with the loss.

Bothell 7, Ballard 5 - Rex Carlin and Brett Steiner each doubled and drove in a run as Bothell slipped past the Ballard Beavers, 7-5. The game was tight throughout, with Carlin also shutting out Ballard through five innings. The Beavers scored twice in the 6th to close the gap to 3-2. That was as close as they'd get however, as Bothell scored four times in the top of the seventh and held off a seventh inning rally. Carlin was the winning pitcher, allowing 4 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits in six innings of work. He was helped by Kellen Webster, who finished the day 2-for-4 with 2 RBI. Frank Airey chipped in two hits for the Beavers in the loss.

Woodinville 6, Roosevelt 2 - A five-run fourth inning was the 'Riders undoing, as they dropped Wednesday night's game to the #3 ranked Falcons, 6-2. Roosevelt got out to an early lead, scoring on a Woodinville error in the first and a solo home run by Mitchell Bouldin in the third. Myles Franklin singled home a run in the bottom half of the third to cut the deficit in half at 2-1. Woodinville would take the lead for good in the fourth, bringing all nine batters to the plate in a 5-run inning. Cody Bauman took care of the rest, working three shutout innings to pick up the save in relief of Jeff Wyner. Bouldin had two of Roosevelt's three hits, with senior Graylin Derke taking the loss. For the 4-0 Falcons, Shea Donlin and Myles Franklin each had 2 hits, with Franklin driving home two runs. Woodinville will go for the Crown Division sweep on Friday when they host Ballard at 6:30 PM.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

KingCo 4A Awards - Week 1

KingCo 4A Baseball - Players of the Week
Week 1: March 19 - 24, 2012

Crest Division
Player of the Week: John Armour, Sr., Eastlake
Eastlake senior John Armour had a fine week at the plate for the Wolves. In two games, the outfielder went 4-6 with one double. However, the biggest at bat came in the form of a walk off RBI against Issaquah on Thursday, completing a perfect 2-0 week for the Crest Division leading Wolves.

Pitcher of the Week: Matt Lunde, Sr., Skyline
Skyline’s southpaw, Matt Lunde, earned pitcher of the week honors for the Crest division for his dominating performance against the Redmond Mustangs. Lunde was in control from beginning to end as he tossed six innings while only allowing one hit and one walk. He also fanned eight Mustang hitters in the performance.

Crown Division
Player of the Week: Shea Donlin, Sr., Woodinville
WSU bound Shea Donlin paced the potent Woodinville attack in going 4-7 in the two game week. The senior shortstop drove in four and scored three times. Donlin was also able to swipe two bases in the perfect 2-0 week for the Woodinville Falcons.

Pitcher of the Week: Danny Larsen, Sr., Inglemoor
The pitching line of the week comes from Inglemoor senior Danny Larsen. The lefthander quieted the Ballard Beavers’ bats in pitching a complete game, one hitter. He struck out two and walked none in the 9-0 Viking win.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Seattle Times 4A/3A Baseball Rankings

The first rankings are out from Mason Kelley at the Seattle Times, and the KingCo conference is well represented. At the 3A level, the defending state champion Mount Si Wildcats top the poll with their 4-1 record. Lake Washington and Mercer Island are on Kelley's watch list as teams that just missed the cut.

As for 4A, Woodinville is the highest ranked KingCo team, coming in at #3 behind Puyallup and Kentwood. Newport checks in at #6 with their perfect 5-0 record. Eastlake, Garfield and Issaquah round out teams to "keep an eye on".

You can view the entire rankings here:
4A and 3A high school baseball rankings - Week 1

Close Games the Story of Monday's 4A Action

Monday was a day for nail-biters, with the five games being decided by a total of six runs. Four of the contests were one run games, with two of them needing extra innings to declare a winner.

Crown Division
Bothell 4, Inglemoor 3 (8 inn.) - Junior Samuel Lee went 3-for-4 with a double, home run and 2 RBI as Bothell walked off on rival Inglemoor in the bottom of the eighth inning, 4-3. Zach Anderson added two doubles and an RBI for Bothell, who picked up their first KingCo win in three attempts. The Vikings had tied the game up with 2 runs in the sixth, but could never overtake the Cougars before falling in the last half of the eighth. Brady Mickelson picked up the win for Bothell, while Lucas Wimmer took the loss. Tyler Beahan had a 3 hits, including a double for IHS.

Woodinville 2, Garfield 1 (9 inn.) - Senior Nate Wilham's groundout plated fellow senior Beau Vinterun with the go ahead run in the top of the ninth as the Falcons survived a scare from Garfield in a 2-1 win. Senior and Washington State University commit Shea Donlin put Woodinville ahead in the top of the first inning with an RBI single. Garfield's Charlie Tarnoff tied the game in the bottom half of the third with an RBI of his own. The game would remain scoreless until the ninth, with both starting pitchers and relievers keeping the opponent bats at bay. Senior Cody Bauman struck out four in 2 1/3 innings of work to pick up the win. Bulldog senior John Trupin pitched great, allowing just a single run while striking out five in seven innings in a no-decision. Woodinville remains the only unbeaten team in the Crown Division at 3-0.


Ballard 3, Roosevelt 1 - Senior Caleb Jaeger was once again dominant for the Beavers, striking out 11 in a complete game win as Ballard slid past Roosevelt, 3-1. Jaeger needed just 71 pitches to go the distance, throwing just 15 balls the entire day. He allowed three hits and one earned run, while not walking a single batter. Junior Ben Welch paced the Ballard offense, going 4-for-4 with a double, while junior George Chrisafis added a double of his own. Myles Gouveia pitched well in defeat, allowing just 4 hits and an earned run in four innings of work.


Crest Division
Skyline 4, Eastlake 3 - Senior Patrick Harrod's 2-out double in the bottom of the seventh scored Brandon Fischer with the winning run, as the Spartans topped Eastlake, 4-3. The Wolves had battled back from a 3-0 deficit with three runs in the top of the seventh to tie the game, only to watch the Spartans walk off in the last half. Senior Clayton Huber was dominant on the mound, allowing just a hit in six shutout innings, but the bullpen gave up the lead, costing him the win. Josh Barokas was the losing pitcher, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) in a complete game effort. Mick Vorhoff was 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Wolves, who took their first league loss of 2012. Fischer and Jack Valencia each had 2 knocks for the now 2-0 Spartans.

Newport 2, Redmond 1 - In a battle of the two Crest division co-champions of a year ago, the Knights prevailed over Redmond by the final of 2-1. Senior Billy Sahlinger starred for Newport, hitting the go-ahead home run in the bottom of the sixth as well as tossing a complete game. Sahlinger allowed just 5 hits and didn't walk a batter, needing just 85 pitches to go the distance. Redmond senior Adam Cline was nearly as effective, as he allowed just 2 hits and 2 earned runs, also working a complete game. Newport keeps pace with Skyline at 2-0, while Redmond drops to 0-3 in KingCo play.

Monday, March 26, 2012

2012 KingCo 4A - Crown Division Preview

Crown Division - Pre-Season Coaches Poll
1) Woodinville (5 first place votes) - 25 points
T-2) Bothell - 19 points
T-2) Inglemoor (1) - 19 points
4) Ballard - 12 points
5) Garfield - 9 points
6) Roosevelt - 6 points

Coaches were asked to rank their division in order of projected finish, excluding their own teams. 5 points were awarded for 1st, 4 for second and so on down to 1 point for 5th.



Team Capsules (listed alphabetically)
Ballard Beavers
Head Coach:
John Lamm
2011 Summary: 6-8 KingCo (4th in Crown division), 9-10 overall

Returning players: Frank Airey (Jr - C), Nelson Cooper (Sr - 1B/DH), Paul Crane (Sr - P), Rory Graf-Brennen (Jr - OF/2B), Joe Jacobson (Jr - P), Caleb Jaeger (Sr - P), Ryan Kangas (Jr - SS), Stewart MacGeorge (Jr - OF), Alex Stamey (Jr - 2B), Steven Weber (Sr - 1B/P), Ben Welch (Jr - SS/OF)

Top newcomers: George Chrisafis (Jr - 3B), Chris Kahn (Jr - P), Drew Lombardi (Jr- C), Damani Nkeiruka (Jr - P/OF), Carl Pearson (Jr - P), Ian Scott (Soph - OF)

Season Outlook from Coach Lamm: We hit .316 as a team but we did not face all the #1 one pitchers last year. We will hit well and play defence with so many returning varsity players. Our arms will make or break us this year. If we make teams put the ball in play and not give up walks we will be competitive in most our games.



Bothell Cougars
Head Coach:
Paul Moody (14th year, 350-265 career record)
2011 Summary: 13-2 KingCo (1st in Crown division), 23-4 overall, KingCo Champions, 4A State champions

Returning starters: Sam Lee (Jr - C), Mark Woods (Sr - SS)

Other returners: Zach Anderson (Sr - 1B), Rex Carlin (Sr - 3B/P), Nik Gray (Sr - OF), Brady Mickelson (Sr - P), Kellen Webster (Soph - 2B)

Top newcomers: Jake Cooper (Jr - C), Travis Dohr (Jr - 1B/P), Daniel Fredrickson (Soph - OF), Evan Harder (Jr - P), Ryan Harder (Jr - OF/P), Ryan Hert (Jr - P), Camden McLeod (Jr - P/3B), Brett Steiner (Sr - OF/P), Jake Storer (Sr - OF), Eric Woods (Sr - OF)

Season Outlook from Coach Moody: Bothell graduated a lot of seniors from 2011 and looks to rebuild.



Garfield Bulldogs
Head Coach:
Chris Moedritzer (2nd year)
2011 Summary: 3-12 KingCo (5th in Crown division), 6-14 overall

Returning starters: Hayes Gorecki (Jr - 3B), Chandler Honican (Jr - SS), Liam McFeely (Sr - 2B/P), John Trupin (Sr - P/1B), Zach Ward (Sr - OF/P/1B)

Other returners: Hank Droege (Sr - P/C/1B), Collin Evenson (Sr - P/OF), Sam Kennard (Sr - C/2B), Ricky Nakamura (Sr - OF), Joe Renner (Sr - P/3B)

Top newcomers: Justin Arkills-McLain (Soph - OF/P/3B), Derek Billey (Soph - OF/SS), Alex Chase (C), Duncan Skerrett (Soph - P/OF/1B), Owen Vickrey (Soph - P/3B)

Season Outlook from Coach Moedritzer: Garfield returns a large senior class, including one of the top pitchers in the conference. The sophomore class now on Varsity led JV to its first record above .500 since joining Kingco 4A in the 1990s. The pitching, offense ,and defense looks to improve from a competitive club last season. The Bulldogs hope to put it all together this year to make a playoff run.



Inglemoor Vikings
Head Coach:
Bryan McNaghten (4th year, 62-36 career record)
2011 Summary: 9-6 KingCo (3rd in Crown division), 15-9 overall, 4th place finish in KingCo tournament

Returning starters: Tyler Beahan (Sr - OF), Brandon Edwards (Jr - IF), Blake Wilson (Sr - OF)

Other returners: Kenny Holen (Jr - IF), Danny Larson (Sr - P), Jake Sleder (Jr - IF), Lucas Wimmer (Sr - P/IF)

Top newcomers: Willie Augustavo (Jr - P), Curtis Bafus (Soph - P), Dustin Bradshaw (Jr - OF), Ryan Caylor (Sr - P), Perry Pipkin (Sr - C), Josh Seefeld (Jr - C), Josh Williams (Sr - OF)

Season Outlook from Coach McNaghten: Team has lack of varsity experience – success will depend on how quickly they can elevate their game.



Roosevelt Roughriders
Head Coach:
Jason Bowie (7th year)
2011 Summary: 2-13 KingCo (6th in Crown division), 6-14 overall

Returning starters: Mitchell Bouldin (Jr - OF), Graylin Derke (Sr - IF/P), Tate Maider (Jr - C/1B), Spencer Maniccia (Jr - 1B/P), Zach Naon (Sr - OF), Cody Shaul (Sr - 1B), K.J. Suedel (Soph - IF)

Other returners: Bridger Hayashi (Sr - C)

Top newcomers: Nathan Aberg (Jr - 3B/2B), Nick Ferguson (Jr - P/IF), Myles Gouveia (Soph - IF/P), Paul Gray (Sr - OF/P), Julien Hayes (Jr - IF/OF)

Season Outlook from Coach Bowie: The Roughriders lost some arms from last year’s squad and are hoping to have some younger pitchers pick up the slack. Pitching and defense will be the key for the Riders this year. The top half of the batting order could be pretty strong. Hopefully the crop of incoming arms can propel the Riders to a few more KingCo victories this season.



Woodinville Falcons
Head Coach:
Terry Agnew (21st year)
2011 Summary: 9-5 KingCo (2nd in Crown division)

Returning starters: Clarke Bader (Sr - C), Shea Donlin (Sr - SS), T.C. Florentine (Sr - CF), Spencer Greer (Sr - P), Marty Luckenbach (Sr - P), Beau Vinterun (Sr - 2B)

Other returners: Cody Bauman (Sr - P), Max Carter (Sr - OF), Myles Franklin (Sr - 1B), Nate Wilham (Sr - OF)

Top newcomers: Conner Brueske (Jr - OF), Caleb Hamilton (Jr - IF/P), Griffen Jones (Sr - OF), Matt Laitala (Sr - IF), Stephan White (Jr - P), Tommy Wick (Soph - IF), Lee Wunderlich (Soph - C/OF), Jeff Wyner (Sr - P/OF)

Season Outlook from Coach Agnew: Woodinville has a veteran team with starters returning in most positions. Pitching depth and team speed are two of Woodinville’s main strengths.

2012 KingCo 4A - Crest Division Preview

Crest Division - Pre-Season Coaches Poll
1) Issaquah (4 first place votes) - 16 points
2) Newport (1) - 13 points
3) Redmond - 9 points
4) Skyline - 8 points
5) Eastlake - 4 points

Coaches were asked to rank their division in order of projected finish, excluding their own teams. 4 points were awarded for 1st, 3 for second and so on down to 1 point for 4th.







Team Capsules (listed alphabetically)
Eastlake Wolves

Head Coach: Kevin Agnew (2nd year, 27-46 career record)
2011 Summary: 1-11 KingCo (5th in Crest division), 6-14 overall

Returning starters: Casey Fithian (Sr – C), John Armour (Sr – OF), Robert Nolan (Sr – IF), Andrew Stull (Sr – P)

Other returners: Grant Beahm (Jr – OF), Griffin Davis (Jr – IF), Josh Barokas (Jr – P/IF), Michael Staudinger (Jr – IF)

Top newcomers: Mick Vorhoff (Soph – P), Ryan Pladson (Jr – IF/P), Mason Pierzchalski (Soph – IF), Ryan Teasell (Jr – IF), Mitch Loofburrow (Jr – P/OF)


Season Outlook from Coach Agnew: We have great senior leadership. We have two quality starters that we will rely on heavily. Our offense will be young, but talented, and anchored by two seniors at the top in Armour and Fithian. If we can play solid defense and execute offensively we will have a shot to make the playoffs.







Issaquah Eagles
Head Coach:
Rob Reese (19th year, 306-137 career record)
2011 Summary: 6-8 KingCo (4th in Crest division), 8-14 overall, Lost in KingCo playoffs

Returning starters: Jake Bakamus (Sr - SS), Blake Miller (Sr - OF), Jack Gellatly (Soph - 3B), Ethan Kalin (Sr - P/1B), Andrew Kemmerer (Sr - P/C), Brandon Mahovlich (Sr - P/OF), Mitchell Morimoto (Soph - OF)

Other returners: Scott Boydston (Sr - P), Ryan Guiberson (Jr - P/1B), Trenton Nagasawa (Sr - 2B), Danny Rawlings (Sr - OF), Zach Walker (Jr - C), Cole Westover (Sr - P)

Top newcomers: Derek Chapman (Soph - OF), Ryan Dixon (Jr - P/1B), Blake Jones (Soph - SS), Sam Reynolds (Sr - OF), Nick Sutherland (Soph - 3B), Kyle Thomas (Jr - 2B), Justin Vernia (Jr - P)

Season Outlook from Coach Reese: Eagles return 14 players from last season. Entire pitching staff plus 7 starters are back. Pitching staff should keep the Eagles in game while some young hitters develop early. Starting SS Jake Bakamus will return in the next 2 weeks from a torn ACL . His leadership will help solidify an infield with 3 sophomores currently starting. Eagles are led by Gonzaga signee Brandon Mahovlich.







Newport Knights
Head Coach:
Hal DeBerry (4th year, 36-15 career record)
2011 Summary: 11-3 KingCo (T-1st in Crest division), 19-6 overall, KingCo tourney runner-up, lost in 4A state quarterfinals

Returning starters: Nate Anderson (Sr - CF), Curtis Kojima (Sr - OF), Mason Paul (Sr - IF), Billy Sahlinger (Sr - SS/P), Aaron Sandefur (Sr - 3B/P)

Other returners: Kyle Goemmer (Sr - IF), Ioannis Kritsonis (Sr - 2B)

Top newcomers: Mack Barry (Jr - C), Jacob Chinery (Sr - OF/P), Trevor Creek (Sr - 1B/P), James Ferris (Jr - OF), Connor McCarthy (Sr - 3B/P), Levi Novak (Sr - P), Jordan Omoto (Sr - DH), Jacob Rosen (Jr - 1B/P), Ben Schuler (Sr - C)

Season Outlook from Coach DeBerry: We will blend a solid group of returners with several new faces. The ability to improve as we go will determine where we finish in a typical KINGCO league; an absolute battle in every game on the schedule.







Redmond Mustangs
Head Coach:
Dan Pudwill (8th year, 124-46 career record)
2011 Summary: 11-3 KingCo (T-1st in Crest division), 20-9 overall , 4th place finish in 4A state tournament

Returning starters: Cody Beliel (Sr - 2B), Peter Hendron (Sr - P/1B/OF), Patrick McGrath (Sr - SS)

Other returners: Adam Cline (Sr - P), Steven Danek (Sr - OF/P), Peyton Lutz (Sr - OF/P), Alex Miller (Sr - P)

Top newcomers: Brandon Burditt (Soph - OF), Lucas Eliason (Soph - C/3B/P), Kyle Francis (Soph - 1B/P), Brent Firth (Jr - 1B/3B)

Season Outlook from Coach Pudwill: Though 13 seniors are rostered, we are a very young team in terms of varsity experience. We do have some depth on the mound but not much elsewhere. We will have to work, scratch, and claw to find our way into the playoffs.







Skyline Spartans
Head Coach:
Chris Tamminen (8th year)
2011 Summary: 8-6 KingCo (3rd in Crest division)

Returning starters: Brandon Fischer (Sr - OF), Connor Gilchrist (Sr - OF/P), Clayton Huber (Sr - IF/P), Matt Lunde (Sr - P), Conner Reinersten (Sr - OF), Jimmy Sinatro (Sr - C), Matt Sinatro (Jr - IF)

Other returners: None listed

Top newcomers: Pat Harrod (Sr - IF), Chris Moellendorf (Sr - OF), Mike Stewart (Sr - OF)

Season Outlook from Coach Tamminen: Tough league as always. Hoping to compete at a high level and get better as season goes along.






Friday, March 23, 2012

Eastlake Doubles 2011 KingCo Win Total

The 2012 KingCo 4A baseball season is a week into the books after Thursday's slate of games...

Crest Division
Eastlake 4, Issaquah 3 - Senior John Armour provided the game-winning hit as the Wolves scored twice in the bottom of the 7th inning to walk-off on Issaquah, 4-3. The win pushed Eastlake's record to 2-0 and doubled their KingCo conference win total from just a season ago. Four Eastlake ptichers combined to keep the Eagles bats in check, with senior Alexander Chen picking up the win after working a scoreless top of the seventh. Senior Ethan Kalin was the tough luck loser for Issaquah, going the distance allowing just four hits. The offense was paced by Brandon Mahlovich, who had two hits, a double, and drove in all three Eagle runs. Eastlake finds itself alone atop the Crest Divison after the first week of league play.

Skyline 4, Redmond 2 - The Spartans came out on top of a pitchers' duel, scoring four times in the bottom of the sixth inning to top the Mustangs, 4-2. The game was scoreless through five innings, with seniors Matt Lunde (Skyline) and Peter Hendron (Redmond) matching zeroes. The 'Stangs would break through in the sixth when sophomore Brandon Burditt scored on a passed ball. Skyline did their damage in the bottom half once Hendron left the game. Senior Connor Gilchrist's bases loaded single plated two giving Skyline their first lead at 2-1. Junior Matt Sinatro followed with an RBI single, and after another run scored on a wild pitch, Sparta found themselves up 4-1. Redmond would threaten, bringing the tying run to the plate, but could not muster a comeback. Lunde picked up the win, allowing just 1 hit and the 1 earned run while striking out 8. Hendron worked five shutout innings with eight strikeouts, but did not factor in the decision.

Newport - BYE

Crown Division
Woodinville 7, Bothell 1 - Senior Spencer Greer kept the Cougar bats in check, allowing just five hits and a run while striking out six as the Falcons moved to 2-0 with a 7-1 win over the defending 4A state champs. Woodinville jumped out early with four runs in the bottom of the first, with Shea Donlin, Matt Laitala and Beau Vinterun all driving in runs. Greer would do the rest, allowing just a 4th inning run in his six innings of work. Donlin finished the day with 2 hits and the RBI, while senior Rex Carlin collected 2 of Bothell's 5 hits.

Inglemoor 9, Ballard 0 - Danny Larsen spun a 1-hit shutout and Tyler Beahan and Josh Seefeld had two hits a piece as the Vikings evened their KingCo record at 1-1 with a 9-0 win over Ballard. Inglemoor broke a close game open with a 5-run fourth inning and relied on Larsen to finish things off. He wouldn't disappoint, allowing just the 1 hit while not walking a single Beaver hitter.

Garfield 5, Roosevelt 2 - Junior shortstop Chandler Honican collected three hits and three RBI, helping his Bulldogs bounce back from an opening day loss with a 5-2 win over Roosevelt. Collin Evanson was the winning pitcher, allowing 2 runs (1 earned) over four innings of work. He combined with two other Garfield pitchers to hold the 'Riders to just two hits. Zach Ward chipped in with two hits and also picked up the save on the mound, working a scoreless seventh inning. Both teams find themselves at 1-1 after the first week of KingCo play.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Strong Pitching Highlights 4A Openers

Pitching was the name of the game on Tuesday, with 9 of the 10 teams holding their opponents to five runs or less. Each winning team allowed no more than 3 runs, with two of the teams tossing shutouts. Let's get to the highlights from KingCo 4A Opening Day:

Crown Division
Roosevelt 1, Bothell 0 - Four Roughrider pitchers combined on a 4-hit shutout as Roosevelt made a single run in the bottom of the first stand up in a 1-0 win over the defending 4A state champion Cougars. Zach Naon scored the lone run of the game, scoring from first on Graylin Derke's first inning triple. Nick Ferguson was the winning pitcher, with Derke recording the final two outs of the contest to earn the save. For Bothell, Brady Mickelson was the tough luck loser, allowing just 3 hits and 1 earned while striking out 9 Roughriders. Rex Carlin had half of Bothell's four hits, including a double in the fourth inning.

Ballard 4, Garfield 2 - Caleb Jaeger struck out 8 in a complete game victory, as Ballard opened up KingCo play with a 4-2 win over the Bulldogs. Jaeger scattered four hits and a walk, allowing two earned runs in his seven innings of work. The Beavers got off to a hot start, scoring twice in the first on an error and an RBI double by Nelson Cooper. Rory Graf-Brennen doubled home two more runs in the second to stake Ballard to the 4-0 lead. Garfield would score twice in the fifth on an RBI double by Liam McFeely and a run-scoring single by Sam Kennard to cut the gap in half. However, Jaeger would finish strong, retiring 6 of the final 7 Garfield hitters to preserve the season-opening win.

Woodinville 13, Inglemoor 2 - The Falcons made a statement in their first KingCo game of 2012, scoring 10 runs in the first two innings en route to a 13-2 win over Northshore rival Inglemoor. Woodinville put six runs on the board before the Vikings had a chance to bat, and added four more in the second inning. A three-spot in the fourth would extend the lead to 13-0 and the Falcons would cruise from their for the 5-inning victory. Seniors Shea Donlin (Washington State commit) and TC Florentine each had 2 hits for the Falcons, while Oregon State signee Marty Luchenbach worked four innings for the win. Dustin Bradshaw took the loss for Inglemoor.


Crest Division
Newport 4, Issaquah 3 - The Knights scored twice in the top of the 7th inning to break a 2-2 tie and hang on for a hotly contested 4-3 win over their rival Issaquah Eagles. Issaquah jumped out early on Newport senior starter Billy Sahlinger, with RBI doubles from Blake Jones and Ethan Kalin. However, the Eagles would not score again until the seventh. Newport clawed their way back with single runs in the 4th and 6th innings to tie the game before the 2-run 7th inning rally. Issy would score once in the final frame to cut the lead to 1, but Aaron Sandefur shut the door, preserving the win for Newport. Senior southpaw Trevor Creek worked a shutout sixth inning to pick up the win, while Sahlinger was 1-2 with an RBI and 3 walks on the day.

Eastlake 5, Redmond 0 - Eastlake started the 2012 KingCo season off on the right foot, knocking off the defending Crest Division co-champion Mustangs 5-0 at Hartman Park. Junior Josh Barokas picked up the win for Eastlake, while sophomore Mason Pierzchalski was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Adam Cline was handcuffed with the loss for Redmond, which got a double from sophomore Lucas Eliason.

Skyline - BYE

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

KingCo 4A Opening Day!

Today marks opening day for the KingCo 4A conference, with 10 of the league's 11 teams in action. Here's a quick look at today's schedule:

Garfield @ Ballard, 3:45 PM
Newport @ Issaquah, 3:45 PM
Bothell @ Roosevelt, 3:45 PM
Woodinville @ Inglemoor, 6:00 PM
Eastlake @ Redmond, 6:00 PM

The KingCo 4A preview will be up today or tomorrow as time allows. Looking forward to an exciting year of 4A action.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Mt. Si Wins Clash Between State Champs

Tuesday saw a few more games played through the rain drops (and snowflakes!), with many more postponed. The feature matchup pitted the 4A State Champion Bothell Cougars against 3A State Champs Mount Si.

Mount Si 10, Bothell 1 (Box Score) - In a matchup between the 2011 3A & 4A State championship teams, the Wildcats pounded out 13 hits en route to a 10-1 win over the Cougars. Santa Clara commit Reece Karalus starred on the mound and the plate, striking out 8 over 5 solid innings and collecting 3 hits and 3 RBI. Fellow senior Trevor Lane was 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI for Mount Si, which broke a close game open with an 8-run fifth inning. Daniel Besmer and Gunnar Buhner each drove in 2 runs, with senior Ross Tassara closing the game out with two shutout frames. Sam Lee had two hits and Zach Anderson doubled for Bothell, who finds themselves at 1-1 in non-league play.

Ballard 20, Renton 0 - Caleb Jaeger struck out 13 Renton batters in just five innings of work, as the Beavers used a 12-run fourth inning to overwhelm Renton, 20-0. Jaeger allowed just a hit and a walk in the complete game victory. Nelson Cooper was 2-for-3 with a HR and 3 RBI and Stuart MacGeorge finished with 3 hits and 4 RBI for Ballard, who is positioned to potentially make some noise in the 4A this year.

Eastlake 12, Glacier Peak 1 - The Wolves scored multiple runs in each of the last three innings to pull away from the Grizzlies and win their season opener, 12-1. Junior Josh Barokas struck out six Glacier Peak hitters in three shutout innings, while fellow junior Ryan Pladson (3-for-4, 4 RBI) and senior Casey Fithian (2-for-4, triple, 2 RBI) paced the Wolves 12-hit attack.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Baseball is Back! (sort of...)

Teams across the state of Washington have two weeks of practice under their belts and non-league games start in full force this week in the KingCo conference. Rain engulfed much of the area on Monday, postponing the majority of the games. However, two 4A/3A crossover games were actually played, with the 4A coming out on top in both contests.

4A/3A Crossover Games
Garfield 6, Mercer Island 4 (5 inn.) - Senior left-hander John Trupin struck out four in four innings of work and junior Chandler Honican drove in two runs as the Bulldogs opened their 2012 campaign with an impressive 6-4 win over Mercer Island. The game lasted just five innings due to rain, with MI's late charge coming up short. Zach Ward doubled and drove in a run for Garfield, who will take on another KingCo 3A team in Lake Washington on Wednesday. Senior David Oppenheim homered in defeat for the Islanders.

Bothell 5, Bellevue 2 (5 inn.) - In another rain shortened affair, the defending 4A State Champion Bothell Cougars picked up where they left off in 2011, downing the Wolverines of Bellevue, 5-2. Seniors Rex Carlin and Mark Woods each had two hits for Bothell, who scored twice in the second and two more times in the fourth inning en route to the victory. Brady Mickelson was the winning pitcher, working two solid innings for the Cougs.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Baseball Just Around the Corner

Exactly two weeks from today, high schools across the state of Washington will begin preparing for the 2012 baseball season. The first day of spring sports is Monday, February 27th with jamborees and non-league contests starting the weekend of March 10th. League play for the KingCo 4A conference kicks off on Tuesday, March 20th, while 3A starts play the week of April 2nd.

The league looks strong as usual, fresh off a banner year in 2011. Always considered one of the strongest conferences in the state, KingCo proved that sentiment again last season. The 4A league saw two of its teams in the final four (Redmond & Bothell), with the Bothell Cougars taking home the WIAA state championship. KingCo 3A is also home to the defending 3A state champion Mount Si Wildcats, who topped Shorewood in a dramatic title game at Cheney Stadium last May.

It promises to be another exciting year of KingCo baseball - be sure to check back with the blog in the next few weeks for updates, team previews and other interesting tidbits about the upcoming baseball season!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Mustangs Cruise to State Tourney

Redmond 10, Marysville-Pilchuck 0 - Senior Zach Abbruzza tossed six shutout innings and classmate Dylan Davis doubled twice and homered as the Mustangs cruised past Marysville-Pilchuck 10-0. The win secures a berth in the 4A state tournament for Redmond, who joins Bothell and Newport as the other KingCo 4A teams to qualify. Abbruzza allowed just three hits and struck out eight in a dominant pitching performance. Junior Peter Hendron also enjoyed a big day, going 3-for-4 with a home run and 4 RBI. Redmond will open the tournament on Saturday against Olympia at Heidelberg Park in Tacoma.

On Tuesday, Lake Washington will get their shot at advancing to the 3A state tournament as they host Bishop Blanchet at Bannerwood. Game time is 7:00 PM.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Redmond/LW Still Alive for State Berths

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

The KingCo playoffs are now over, with two teams from the 4A and one from the 3A having punched their tickets to the State tournament. One more team from each classification has a chance to earn a spot in the final 16. Here's a quick look:

KingCo 4A
State tournament bracket:
http://www.wiaa.com/bracket.aspx?ID=26

KingCo #1: Bothell
KingCo #2: Newport
KingCo #3: Redmond

Bothell & Newport are in the State tournament. Redmond takes on Marsyville-Pilchuck today at 4:00 PM at Hartman Park in a winner-to-state, loser-out game.

KingCo 3A
State tournament bracket:
http://www.wiaa.com/bracket.aspx?ID=27

KingCo #1: Mount Si
KingCo #2: Lake Washington

Mount Si is in the State tournament. Lake Washington takes on Bishop Blanchet Tuesday, 7:00 PM at Bannerwood in a winner-to-state, loser-out game.

Mount Si Wins 3A Championship

Mount Si and Lake Washington played a championship game for the ages on Friday night. Saturday brought the end of the KingCo baseball playoffs, with district and state tournament games left to be played.

Friday, 5/13 - KingCo 3A Championship
Mount Si 1, Lake Washington 0 (8 innings) - Dustin Breshears' single in the bottom of the eighth inning plated Ryan Atkinson with the game's lone run, as Mount Si edged Lake Washington in dramatic fashion for the KingCo 3A championship. The epic game featured two dominant pitchers, with Mount Si's Reece Karalus and LW's Spencer Jackson controlling the game all night. It also featured tremendous defense at opportune times, with numerous web gems ending scoring threats the entire night. Karalus was the winner, allowing just 3 hits and striking out 6 in 8 shutout innings. Jackson was just as tough, scattering 7 hits and the lone run with one out in the eighth. Neither pitcher walked a single batter the entire game - incredible command from both arms. Mount Si wins both the regular season and tournament championship, and will advance to the 3A state tournament as the KingCo #1 seed. LW would have to wait for the Sammamish/Mercer Island winner to determine their fate.

Saturday, 5/14 - KingCo 3A
Mercer Island 11, Sammamish 1 - Freshman Chris Lawler helped keep the Islanders' season alive, allowing just three hits and a run in four solid innings as MI topped Sammamish 11-1 in the first of two Saturday contests. Junior David Oppenheim led the Islander 11 hit attack, going 3-for-3 with two doubles and four runs scored, while Brian Higgins and Jordan Richartz each drove in 3. Mercer Island would advance to the 4:00 PM loser-out game against LW, with Sammamish's season coming to an end at 10-13.

Lake Washington 6, Mercer Island 2 - The Kangs got strong pitching from junior Zach Johnson and a big performance from senior Chris Moore in topping the Islanders, 6-2. The win earns LW the KingCo #2 seed and a date with Metro #4 Bishop Blanchet on Tuesday night with a state tournament berth on the line. Johnson allowed two earned runs over six innings, his fourth consecutive quality start. Lake Washington responded from a leadoff home run from MI's David Oppenheim by scoring twice in the bottom of the first and four more times in the bottom of the second. Moore finished the afternoon 3-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI, while sophomore catcher Steve Semler was 2-for-2 with an RBI. Oppenheim finished the game 3-for-4 with two doubles and the HR, giving him 4 doubles and a home run in the doubleheader.

Friday, May 13, 2011

Bothell Wins 4A; Mount Si - LW for 3A Title

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

**NOTE - Yesterday's posts have been temporarily removed by the hosting service. They should be restored sometime today. **

KingCo 4A Championship Game
Bothell 4, Newport 3 - Congratulations to the Bothell Cougars, who won the 2011 KingCo 4A championship with a 4-3 win over Newport on Thursday night. Cougars starter Brian McAfee saw his scoreless innings streak end at 46 innings, but would I'm sure trade that for a KingCo championship any day. The Cornell-bound senior allowed seven hits and three runs in a complete game victory, securing Bothell's second KingCo tournament championship in four years. Senior Jon Mercer homered and drove in two and junior Mark Woods drove in the eventual game-winner, breaking a tie in the bottom of the fifth. Senior Keith Van Court homered for the Knights, who enter the
4A state tournament as the District 2 #2 seed. Bothell is the #1 seed from District 2 and will open the state tourney at Kent Memorial on Saturday, May 21st.

KingCo 4A Third Place Game
Redmond 6, Inglemoor 2 - The third time was the charm for Redmond against Inglemoor, as they kept their season alive with a 6-2 win over the Vikings. Seniors Dustin Doucette (Inglemoor) and Dylan Davis (Redmond) faced off against each other, with Davis finally coming out on top after losing the first two meetings. The Oregon State bound senior allowing just 2 earned runs in 5 2/3 innings of work. Davis helped himself offensively, as both he and Patrick McGrath homered in the victory. Redmond has won three straight games since an opening round loss, and will take on the winner of the
WesCo third place game between Mariner - Marysville Pilchuck. The WesCo game is this afternoon at 3:00 PM, with the bi-district winner to state game is scheduled for Monday, May 16th. Inglemoor's impressive tournament run ends with the loss, finishing at 15-9 on the season.

KingCo 3A Semi-Finals
Lake Washington 10, Sammamish 1 - Senior Bob Cruikshank tossed a complete-game four hitter and junior Zach Johnson homered twice and drove in four as the Kangs advanced to the KingCo 3A Championship game with a 10-1 win over Sammamish. Cruikshank, who recently signed with the University of San Francisco, settled in after a 28-pitch first inning, needing just 56 more pitches over the final six frames. Johnson's first home run in the third inning gave LW their first lead at 2-1. He followed that up his next at-bat with another blast deep to right-center field to push the lead to 5-1. Cruikshank did the rest, helping LW advance to their fourth KingCo title game in the past seven seasons. Senior Chris Moore was 3-for-5 with a double and 2 RBI for the Kangs. Sammamish must now win twice on Saturday to keep their state tournament hopes alive.

Mount Si 5, Mercer Island 0 - Mount Si punched their ticket to the KingCo title game behind junior Trevor Lane's shutout as the Wildcats topped MI, 5-0. Lane allowed just five hits and struck out nine, and also added two hits and 2 RBI to help his cause. Seniors Dustin Breshears (1-for-3, triple) and Tim Proudfoot (2-for-3, RBI, two runs) were part of the Wildcats balanced 9-hit attack. Senior George Jiranek took the loss for the Islanders, who will take on Sammamish in the first of two loser-out games on Saturday.


The KingCo 3A championship game will feature the top two seeds - Lake Washington (#2) vs. Mount Si (#1). The game is set for Friday night 7:00 PM at Bannerwood Park in Belleuve. The winner earns the District 2 top seed in the 3A state tournament. The loser will play the Sammamish-Mercer Island winner (Saturday, 1:00 PM) on Saturday at 4:00 PM for the right to play Metro #4 with a trip to state on the line.


Thursday, May 12, 2011

WesCo / Metro Playoff Update

Both the 3A and 4A leagues share a State tournament berth with the Metro (3A) and Wesco (4A). The third team coming out of the KingCo 4A tournament will take on the third team from the WesCo 4A tournament. For the 3A, KingCo's #2 entry takes on Metro's #4.

For those interested, the tournament brackets from the two leagues are below:

WesCo 4A
http://www.nwcathletics.com/tournament.php?act=view&league=1&page=1&school=0&sport=6&tournament_id=380

Metro 3A
http://blogs.issaquah-reporter.com/endzone/metro-league-baseball-bracket/1880/

Thursday's Slate Includes 4A 'Ship

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

Thursday is the final day of the 4A tournament, with Bothell and Newport facing off tonight for the championship. In the 3A, a semi-final doubleheader is on tap for Bannerwood Park:

KingCo 4A Schedule

4:00 PM - Inglemoor (Crown #3) vs. Redmond (Crest #2) - winner to district game
7:00 PM - Bothell (Crown #1) vs. Newport (Crest #1) - both to state
** games at Woodinville HS

KingCo 3A Semi-Finals

4:00 PM - Sammamish (#6 seed) vs. Lake Washington (#2 seed)
7:00 PM - Mercer Island (#4 seed) vs. Mount Si (#1 seed)
** games at Bannerwood Park (Bellevue)

Tuesday Playoff Recaps

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

First Round 3A Games
Sammamish 1, Bellevue 0 - Freshman Joe Giacchetti pitched like a seasoned veteran, allowing just 3 hits in a complete game 1-0 shutout of Bellevue. The right hander spotted his fastball and mixed his pitches well all afternoon, keeping the Wolverines off balance and off the scoreboard. Giacchetti did not strike out a single Bellevue hitter, but allowed just 6 baserunners all day. Chris Strain doubled home a run in the top of the first, which amazingly held up the entire game. Strain finished the day 2-for-3 with a double, triple and the eventual game winning RBI. Sammamish moves on to the semi-finals to take on Lake Washington. Michael Raine matched Giacchetti nearly pitch for pitch, allowing just the single run on 6 hits while striking out 10. He takes the defeat for Bellevue, whose season comes to an end with the loss.

Mercer Island 10, Liberty 1 - It was an impressive first round showing for the defending KingCo tournament champions, as they scored early and often in a 10-1 romp over Liberty. Junior Max Dammeier struck out five in 6 strong innings, and the Islanders got help offensively from Brian Higgins (2-for-4, double, 2 RBI), Cameron Ogard (2-for-3, 3 RBI) and Evan Thompson (2-for-2, double, 2 RBI). MI will now play the top seed Mount Si in the second of two semifinal games on Friday. Junior Izak Styskal took the loss for the Patriots, who were eliminated despite possibly being the league's hottest team in the second half.

Losers Bracket 4A Games
Redmond 7, Skyline 0 - Senior Zach Abbruzza dominated the Spartans, allowing just 2 hits and a walk while striking out 7 in Redmond's 7-0 win on Tuesday. The win was the second straight loser-out victory for the Mustangs, who need one more win on Thursday to advance to the district play-in game against WesCo #3 on Saturday. Abbruzza was also 3-for-4 with an RBI, and got help from fellow seniors Dylan Davis (2-for-4, 3-run HR) and Nick Rothermel (2-for-3, double, 2 runs). Clayton Huber took the loss for Skyline, which sees its season come to an end with an 11-12 record.

Inglemoor 9, Woodinville 8 - The two Northshore rivals hooked up in an instant classic on Tuesday night, with the Vikings prevailing 9-8. Inglemoor scored four times in both the first and last innings of the game, with the latter helping them overcome a 3-run seventh inning deficit. Woodinville fought back from the four-run first, scoring 3 runs in their half of the frame and two each in the third and fourth innings to take a 7-5 lead. A single run in the bottom of the sixth extended the lead to 8-5, but they could not hold off the late Vikings charge. Sophomore infielder Brandon Edwards was 4-for-4 with 2 RBI to lead Inglemoor, which will take on Redmond for the second time in the KingCo tournament and third time this season. Woodinville's season ends with a 14-7 record.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Tuesday Playoff Schedule

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

Tuesday brings another day of playoff action, with the 4A continuing their tournament and the 3A starting theirs. Here's a look at today's schedule:

KingCo 4A - Losers Bracket Games
4:00 PM - Skyline (Crest #3) vs. Redmond (Crest #2)
7:00 PM - Inglemoor (Crown #3) vs. Woodinville (Crown #2)
** games at Woodinville HS

KingCo 3A - First Round Games
4:00 PM - Sammamish (#6 seed) vs. Bellevue (#3 seed)
7:00 PM - Liberty (#5 seed) vs. Mercer Island (#4 seed)
** games at Bannerwood Park (Bellevue)