Mount Baker’s Offense Came Alive Against Nooksack Valley

DEMING – Over the past three seasons Mount Baker baseball coach Justin Myers has dealt with his share of rough games (8 wins in the past three seasons). He was all smiles on Monday evening after his team was the one that shortened the game after a 13-3 non-league win against Nooksack Valley.

“We’ve been on the receiving end of games like that long enough,” said Myers. “The guys are settled down now after getting that win at Friday Harbor. We’re just looking to put the ball in play and move guys around.”

The Mounties did plenty of that by collecting nine hits and scoring 13 runs in just five innings.

The Pioneers got off to a hot start against Mount Baker pitcher Michael Kentner when senior Evan Neitling looped a hustle-double with two outs. Junior Easton Zylstra followed with a walk, and junior Levi DeWeber crushed a double to left-center field. Senior Trey Eshuis hit a sharp single, and just like that Nooksack Valley had scored three runs before Baker even grabbed a bat.

“In the past Michael has started slow,” Myers said about his 6-foot-3 senior pitcher. “He usually takes about two innings to get going, but we’ve been working hard at getting him to come hard out of the gate.”

Kentner was amazingly sharp after the first inning. He completed the five-inning shortened game, allowing just two hits over the final four innings. Also, at one point, he had struck out six batters in a row.

Mount Baker’s offensive contributors came from players throughout the entire lineup. Seniors Kaleb Bass and Ty Rosenburg each smoked doubles over the outfielder’s heads. Senior Carter Backstrom hit three singles, and drove in a run with each single. Senior Leif Blow had a pair of hits, while Kentner and sophomore Andrew Stalnaker each walked three times.

The Mountaineers (2-4) will host Darrington on Wednesday. Nooksack Valley (2-4) will travel to Blaine (2-1) to take on the Borderites on Wednesday, and that game can be heard on the Doug Lange Network.

W: Kentner (1-0)

L: Johnson (0-1)

NV: Neitling 2-3, 2B, R; DeWeber 1-3, 2B, RBI; Eshuis 1-1, RBI, BB; Roosma 1-2.

MB: Jefferson 2 BB, SB, R, RBI; Bass 2-3, 3 R, 2B, 2 SB, RBI; Kentner 3 BB, 2 R, SB; Beason 1-3, R, 2 RBI; Blow 2-4, 2 R; Stalnaker 2 BB, HBP, 3 R; Rosenburg 1-3, 2B, BB, R; Backstrom 3-3, BB, 3 RBI.