River Ridge 9, Sehome 8
When junior Lane Middendorf plunked the River Ridge batter to lead off the third inning, Sehome coach Monte Walton knew his 6-foot-5 southpaw just didn’t have it and he had to make a change. The Mariners were down 5-0, and that had been the sixth batter that Middendorf hit. Senior Patrick Miksovsky came in and pitched well down the stretch. He went the rest of the way, and other than an error-filled fifth inning, he was in control of the game on the mound. He also went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double, and he knocked in a team-high three runs. Sehome was down 9-3 after the top of the fifth inning, but came up short 9-8. The Mariners were without their starting outfielders who had the flu. Sehome (1-4) will be at Bellingham (0-3) on Tuesday.
L: Middendorf (0-2)
SEH: Seaholm 2-4, R, BB; McLin 1-4, R, BB; Kaepernick 1-4, 2B, R; DeLisle 3 BB, R; Grondin 1-3, 2B, HBP, 2 R, RBI; Miksovsky 3-4, 2B, 3 RBI; Knudtson 2 BB; Frere 1-4, RBI, Glendening BB, R.
Mount Baker 9, Friday Harbor 4
The Mountaineers picked up their first victory of the year, thanks to a dominating performance on the mound by senior Kaleb Bass. Pitching into the seventh inning, and almost completing the game, he struck out 12 batters while allowing just five hits and one walk. Freshman catcher Davin Beason also reached base all four times he was at bat, picking up three hits including a double. Senior center fielder also had his best game of the young season by going 2-for-3 with two runs batted in and scoring two runs. Sophomore leadoff hitter Toby Jefferson was able to reach base four times while seniors Isaac Gomes, Leif Blow and Ty Rosenburg each picked up a hit and a walk.
W: Bass (1-1)
MB: Jefferson 1-2, 2 BB, HBP, R, RBI, SB; Gomes 1-4, RBI, BB, SB; Bass 1-4, 2 SB; Blow 1-3, BB, R; Rosenburg 1-3, BB, R; Beason 3-3, 2B, 2 R, HBP; Weathers RBI, R, SB; T. Kentner RBI, R; Backstrom 2-3, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB, SB.
River Ridge 6, Bellingham 0
Coming off a big win over Sehome just moments earlier, the Hawks were riding momentum into their game against the Red Raiders and there wasn’t anything Bellingham could do to slow it down. Sophomore Manny DePalma pitched well, and held River Ridge to just one run over the first five innings. A second run scored in the sixth, and the Hawks were able to get a big inning in the seventh. Bellingham was held to just three hits, with seniors Shane Davis and Nick Posey each collecting one, along with sophomore Everett Simpson. Davis also relieved DePalma in the final inning and didn’t allow a hit. The Red Raiders (0-3) will host Sehome (1-4) at Joe Martin Field on Tuesday afternoon.
L: DePalma (0-1)
BELL: Davis 1-3; Posey 1-3, Simpson 1-2.
Lynden Christian 7, Granite Falls 4
The Lyncs took an early lead and let their pitching a defense do the rest as Lynden Christian won their second game in as many days. Sophomore third baseman Shale Whittern, the county’s top hitter at the moment, continued pounding the baseball as he picked up three hits including a pair of triples. Fellow sophomore Cole Moorlag connected with two doubles, and he scored two runs and had two runs batted in. Senior southpaw Kyden Vander Veen started the game on the mound, and he picked up his first victory of the season while striking out five Tigers. He didn’t get to play last season due to injury, and he has been a valuable piece in this young season. Big junior Zach Sipma pitched the final four innings of the game for LC and was a strike throwing machine. 72% of his pitches were strikes, and allowed just one hit. Lynden Christian (3-2) will host Squalicum (1-4) on Tuesday.
W: K. Vander Veen (1-0)
S: Sipma (1)
LC: Moorlag 2-4, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI; Whittern 3-4, 2 3B, 2 RBI, R, SB; Dykstra 1-2, 2 RBI, HBP, SB; Zylstra 1-2; K. Vander Veen 2 R, BB, HBP.
Cascade 5, Squalicum 2
It took extra innings, but the Bruins outlasted the Storm in game one of the double header at Joe Martin Field on Saturday. Senior shortstop Josh Boysen scored in the first inning for Squalicum and Cascade followed up with a run in the second inning. After a few scoreless innings, it was the Bruins that scored in the fifth, but in the following inning senior August Williams scored on a groundout by sophomore Mason Binning. The Bruins put three more on the board in the ninth, and the Storm couldn’t counter. Senior outfielder Tate Carlson led Squalicum with two hits, and Williams pitched into the sixth inning allowing just one earned run while striking out five.
L: Whitman (0-1)
SQU: Boysen 1-4, SB, R; Williams 2 BB, R; Sage 1-3, BB; Carlson 2-3, BB; Binning RBI, Lloyd BB, SB.
University Prep 5, Nooksack Valley 3
Two runs in the seventh inning spoiled the tie, and the chances that the Pioneers had in beating the Pumas. Nooksack Valley played well, especially on defense where there wasn’t an error committed. However, hitting was a struggle, and Zach Johnson was the only player in the lineup to get a hit. The Pioneers were able to get on base in other ways, and scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game. Senior Jacob Roosma got his first varsity action of the season, and started on the mound. He went three innings and allowed just two hits, but he also walked five and allowed the three early runs. Nooksack Valley got RBI’s from Evan Neitling, Easton Zylstra and Zach Paz, and freshman Dawson Kimball walked twice. The Pioneers (2-3) will travel to Mount Baker (1-4) to take on the Mountaineers on Monday.
L: Zylstra (0-2)
NV: Johnson 1-2, R, BB; Neitling RBI, SB; Zylstra RBI, BB; Kimball 2 BB, R; Paz RBI, R.
Friday Harbor 6, Mount Baker 1
The Wolverines returned the favor by taking game two of the double header against the Mountaineers. Senior Isaac Gomes threw four terrific innings for Baker, allowing just one hit and one run that was unearned. He also struck out five. Friday Harbor combined for five runs in the fifth and sixth inning, and it was too much too late for the Mounties. Baker got hits from Toby Jefferson, Kaleb Bass, Leif Blow and Carter Backstrom. The Mountaineers (1-4) will try to re-group quickly as they host Nooksack Valley (2-3) tomorrow afternoon.
L: Weathers (0-1)
MB: Jefferson 1-4, SB; Bass 1-3, BB, SB; Blow 1-4; Backstrom 1-2, R, BB.
Cascade 12, Squalicum 1
It was a rough game number two for the Storm. They reached base multiple times, but they were unable to via a hit. Mason Binning scored the lone run for Squalicum in the second inning, and Josh Boysen was able to reach base twice.
L: Allen (0-2)
SQU: Andersen BB; Boysen 2 BB; Binning BB, R, 2 SB; Nickelson BB; Lloyd BB, SB; Pennock BB.
Lynden 10, Ellensburg 0
It was a great overall game for the Lions, as junior Tanner Hope threw just 66 pitches in six innings of work to blank Ellensburg. He allowed just two hits and struck out three. Senior Carter Parcher finished the game on the mound for Lynden. Senior Jack Doolittle continued his hot hitting with a triple and three runs batted in. Seniors Ben Libolt and James Marsh each hit a double, and Marsh scored three runs. Libolt and senior shortstop Brendan Kleindel each scored a pair of runs and sophomore center fielder Connor White went 3-for-3 with two runs batted in. Lynden also showed tremendous patience at the plate by walking 10 times. The Lions (2-1) open up league play at home against Squalicum (1-4) on Friday.
W: Hope (1-0)
LYN: Kleindel 1-4, 2 R, HBP, SB; Libolt 1-3, 2 R, BB, 2B, HBP; Marsh 1-1, 3 R, BB, 2B, 2 HBP, SB; Doolittle 1-3, 3 RBI, 3B, 2 BB, SB; Parcher 3 BB; King 1-4, 2 RBI, R; White 3-3, 2 RBI, BB.
