5/14/16

(Centralia, WA) The day started with 4 teams still alive but only 1 would survive to play again next week in the State Regionals. 3 teams would have their season come to an end. Our results, stories and picture galleries are all below.

Game 1: Centralia 7, Black Hills 4

7 was certainly not lucky for the Wolves in this game. They would give up not only 7 runs they would commit 7 errors and it was the 7th inning that doomed the Wolves. Black Hills would get the jump putting up 4 runs in the 1st as Tigers starting pitcher Nolan Wasson struggled with the strike-zone walking 4. Ethan Loveless would walk to open the game take 2nd on a stolen base and then score on a throwing error to make it 1-0. Nate Hutson would then get a base hit followed by 2 walks to Cole Lester and Austin Parr. Hutson would score on a wild pitch and then Milo Ames came through with a 2 RBI base hit. Wasson would get a strike-out but then issue his 4th walk to Alex Bowden and Tiger Coach Rex Ashmore would make the change to Cody Parker who would then get out of the inning.

In the 2nd inning it looked gloomy for the Tigers as Black Hills loaded the bases with 1 out and were poised to add to their 4-0 lead.  Ames was up again and flied out to right field but Hutson on at 2nd would be caught in no-man’s land and Centralia’s Fletcher Brown fired it 2nd base and got Hutson caught in a rundown until Ethan Loveless then took off for home and the Tigers tagged him out at home denying the Wolves any runs. This play ultimately would be named our ProActive Physical Therapy Play of the Game.

Centralia would get back into the game in the 3rd thanks to a pair of errors. Wolves starting pitcher Jaycee Miller would strike out the 1st 2 batters but then disaster would strike. Chase Evinger would ground a ball to 3rd baseman Taylor Simmons who threw the ball in the dirt and Evinger was safe. Nolan Wasson would then ground one to Simmons who threw it to 2nd but high and Nate Brosio had to jump for the ball and courtesy runner Jose Pineda got in safely to put runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs.

The Wolves would intentionally walk Christian Peters to load the bases. Fletcher Brown then came through with an RBI base hit followed by Garrett Hicks with an RBI single to center. On the play Hutson would over run the ball allowing another run to score and after 3 it was 4-3, Wolves maintained their lead.

The game would stay just like that with the Wolves leaving runners on base each and every inning but could never add to their total. The top of 7 Centralia was down to their final 3 outs and they knew if they wanted a chance to defend their state title they would need to find a way to score at least 1 run.

Peters led off with a single, followed by a strike-out. Hicks then singled and on a throw to 3rd to try and get Pineda who came in to run for Peters the ball short-hopped at 3rd base and ended up in the Black Hills dugout and the game was tied. Kieran Bredeson then walked and that would do it for Miller who left the game giving up 4 runs, 7 hits but his defense had committed 7 errors. New pitcher Zach James would then walk Joey Aliff to fill the bases when Cody Parker lifted a fly ball to right to score Eric Cervantes who was running for Hicks. Riley Christensen then came through with an RBI single and a wild pitch would score a 4th run and the Tigers had their 1st lead in the game 7-4.

Christian Peters came in to finish the 7th and did so by facing just 4 batters and the Tigers stayed alive to play in the 4:00 game against the winner of the 2nd game between Hockinson and RA Long. The Wolves had their season come to an end. Our Tommy Lowe of the Greene Realty Group Players of the Game went to Centralia’s Cody Parker and to Black Hills’ Nate Hutson.

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Game 2: RA Long 2,  Hockinson 1

Game 2 featured another match-up of common league opponents with the Hawks having the advantage with a pair of 1-run wins over the Jacks. This game would not be a high scoring affair as 3 pitchers would combine to go the distance. Mitch Lines got the start for the Hawks while Andrew Walling got the start for RA Long.

After a scoreless 1st inning, both teams would score in the 2nd. With 1 out, Gunnar Blix would get on safely after an error on Noah Stecher. Blix would advance to 2nd on a grounder by Brett Coons who was thrown out by the shortstop Brandon Anderson. Tanner Hulings then came through with an RBI base hit with a single to left field and the Jacks led 1-0.

Hockinson would draw even but blow a big opportunity to take the lead. After a fly-out Lines would get on with a base hit. Colton Wheeler then grounded out moving Lines over to 2nd but now with 2 outs. Walling then started to struggle by walking Canon Racanelli followed by a walk to Tristan Bonife loading the bases. Walling then walked in the tying run when Matt Henry took ball 4 and Lines scored. Walling then got the 3rd out to limit the damage to just 1 run while the Hawks left the bases loaded.

That would do it for Walling, Kaden Vanderwerf would take over for the Jacks and would be extremely tough on the Hawks. Vanderwerf would give a walk against his first batter Anderson and then later a lone base hit but would shut down the Hawks with 3 up, 3 down innings and facing just 2 over the minimum.

The Jacks weren’t doing much better against Lines until the 5th inning. Tanner Hulings led off with a base hit and took 2nd on a stolen base. After 2 outs, Coby Rothwell singled home Hulings giving the Jacks a 2-1 lead and ultimately was the game winner.

RA Long would advance to face Centralia at 4pm in a winner to state, loser out contest while the Hawks had their season come to an end. Our Tommy Lowe of Greene Realty Players of the Game went to RA Long’s Kaden Vanderwerf and Hockinson’s Mitch Lines. The ProActive Physical Therapy Play of the Game went to the 2 out single by Tanner Hulings that knocked in the 1st run of the game.

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Game 3: Centralia 11, RA Long 6

It all came down to this, 1 game with a trip to state regionals or have your season come to an end. The RA Long Lumberjacks coming in riding high with back-to-back district wins over Mark Morris and now Hockinson. The Tigers got walloped by Tumwater in the Semi-Finals and then a 7th inning rally to get past Black Hills in the 1st game today to get to this game.an

Centralia would get off to a fast start in the bottom of the 1st. Riley Christensen led off with a base hit and then moved to 3rd on a stand-up double from Chase Evinger. Nolan Wasson then sac flied scoring Christensen followed by a sac RBI fly from Christian Peters and the Tigers held a 2-0 lead.

The Jacks would scratch their way back into the game with runs in the 2nd and 3rBrett Coons would score after a base hit and scored on a base hit from Tanner Hulings. In the 3rd, Coby Rothwell walked and scored when Gunnar Blix grounded to Peters at 3rd base but Peters had to play the ball off his chest and Blix got on by the error while Rothwell tied the game.

RA Long would take the lead and a big lead with a 4-run 5th inning. It began after an out when Walling doubled followed by an RBI single from Jace Childers. Blix would walk and following a strike-out Hulings would belt a bases clearing triple for a 5-2 lead. Hulings would score on a wild pitch and the Jacks held a 6-2 lead.

That lead would not last long as Centralia would put together quite a run as they sent 12 batters to the plate. Joey Aliff led off with a walk, Cody Parker then singled. Christensen then doubled scoring both runners. Evinger was then hit by a pitch. After a fly-out Peters came through with a base hit knocking in a run. Fletcher Brown then walked and Garrett Hicks ripped a long single scoring 2 more runs. Kieran Bredeson walked and was followed by Joey Aliff’s run single. After the dust settled starting pitcher Gunnar Blix had been replaced by reliever Alex Brady and the Tigers had a 9-6 lead plating 7 runs.

Centralia added 2 more runs in the bottom of the 6th officially busting the game open and clinching the final spot to state. The Tigers will advance to the Bellingham Regional next Saturday while RA Long had their season come to an end with the stunning turn-around by the Tigers.

Our Tommy Lowe of Greene Realty Players of the Game went to Riley Christensen for Centralia and Tanner Hulings of RA Long. Our ProActive Physical Therapy Play of the Game went to Centralia center fielder Isaiah Trevino with a beautiful over the shoulder catch in deep center robbing the Jacks of at least 2 more runs in the 3rd inning which would have given the Jacks a 2-run lead and could have changed the outcome of the game.

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