4/7/2021
Three broadcasts on the ESN air on Tuesday included a big Metro League Volleyball showdown and a pair of Evco 2A baseball games. Re-caps, pictures and video clips below.
Volleyball
Eastside Catholic 3, Garfield 0
(Sammamish, WA) This was expected to be quite the showdown as both the Crusaders and Bulldogs came in unbeaten at 5-0 and the Metro’s Sound division title on the line.
The match opened in the first set with The Bulldogs having the energy it takes to win on the road, but a late push by the Crusaders gave them the set. (Video below)
The second set was plagued by stoppages by the officials which clearly threw off the flow of the game and seemed to affect Garfield more as the Crusaders were able to get a huge 25-14 win to go up 2 sets to none.
The Bulldogs fought hard in the decisive third set but Eastside Catholic was able to put the match away to improve to 6-0. Garfield made EC work for it with the best rally of the night going to the Bulldogs before the Crusaders clinched the win. (Video below) Riley Westby was named out Player of the Match as she had a dominant night at the net.
Both teams have one match to play and Garfield looks to have the easier path hosting Rainier Beach on Monday. The Vikings are 1-4 on the season and were swept 3-0 Wednesday night by Franklin.
Eastside Catholic faces a tough finale against Holy Names who are currently 4-1 and will host West Seattle (2-2) on Friday night. If Holy Names beats WS that would set up a huge match on Monday at Eastside Catholic with a potential 3-way tie if the Cougars could knock off the unbeaten Crusaders. EC of course could clinch the league title and remain unbeaten with a win over Holy Names.
Video Clips
Baseball
Tumwater 10, Shelton 0
(Tumwater, WA) The T-Birds rolled after suffering their first loss of the season on Monday at WF West. Tumwater was limited to 1 run on Monday but broke out the bats on Wednesday scoring 10 while blanking the Highclimbers for the 10-0 win.
The big hit of the game a bases clearing triple from Ryan Orr knocking in 3 RBI. (Video below) Tumwater improves to 5-1 on the year and Shelton drops to 2-3. Tumwater will travel to Black Hills on Friday and Shelton hosts Capital on Thursday.
Video Clip
Baseball
Centralia 8, Rochester 3
(Centralia, WA) The Tigers may have still been stinging from a flat performance last Friday losing to Shelton 4-0. Centralia did beat Black Hills on Monday but took on a tough Rochester squad who were 2-2 losing 8-4 to unbeaten WF West but did lead the Bearcats until a 6 run inning and a 3-0 loss to 1 loss Tumwater. 
Tony Groninger got the start for Rochester and was matching the Tigers starter Landen Jenkins pitch for pitch, in fact Rochester got the early lead with a run in the top of the 3rd. Tate Quarnstrom got a base hit with 1 out and then advanced to 3rd on 2 straight wild pitches from Jenkins. Groninger then gave himself the lead with a sacrifice fly to center for a 1-0 lead. (Video below)
Centralia would answer in the bottom of the 4th when Paris Chavez led off with a double followed by a single from Jenkins putting runners on the corners for Benito Valencia. Valencia came through ripping a 2 RBI single giving the Tigers a 2-1 lead. (Video below)
In the top of the 5th the Warriors had their best chance for a big inning. 3 straight hits from Quarnstrom, Groninger and Braden Hartley would load the bases with just 1 down. Jenkins responded though getting a pop-up to Teitzel and denied the Warriors any runs with a fly-out to right fielder Sawyer Kassel.
Centralia’s Chaves would add to the lead in the bottom of the 5th driving home Bayden Teitzel who singled with 1 out to get on. Following a strike-out Chaves would record his 3rd hit of the game with the RBI 2-out single and the Tigers pushed their lead to 3-1.
The Tigers would then blow the game open in the bottom of 6 scoring 5 runs on 4 hits sending 9 to the plate. Gabe Seymour led off the inning with a double, Landon Kaut came in to pinch run. Valencia then made it to 1st after getting hit by a pitch. Zack Rone then came in to pinch hit and turned to lay down a bunt twice but fouled it off both times. Now having to swing away to protect the plate Rone drilled an RBI base hit.
Moshie Eport then reached by a Fielder’s Choice which led to a run and a Warrior error. Teitzel then singled to load the bases and Noah Aliff came through with a 2 RBI single. After a ground out Chaves would reach on an error scoring a 5th run but then Chaves trying to advance to 3rd on an over throw would get thrown out to end the inning but the damage was done as Centralia led 8-2.
Kaut came in to finish the game in the 7th and Groninger would score leading off the inning with a single but that would be it and the Tigers improved to 4-1 while the Warriors dropped to 2-3. Groninger took the loss but had a solid effort, he did give up 11 hits but the 3 errors certainly added many of the runs to the Centralia tally. Groninger did strike out 7 and did not walk anyone but did have 1 hit batsman.
Jenkins went 6 and struck out 7 and walked 2 while giving up 6 hits to record the win. Our Thorbeckes home player of the game went to Paris Chaves for the Tigers and our Pacific Sports Spa visiting player of the game was the Warrior’s Tony Groninger.
Video Clips
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