PORT ANGELES — Kole Acker tossed a complete-game three hitter and Wilder Senior opened its title defense at its own Dick Brown Memorial Firecracker Classic with an 11-1 win over WBC Colts Red at Civic Field on Thursday night.
“Kole Acker had a really good game on the mound,” Wilder Senior coach Zac Moore said. “He threw five innings, and gave up three hits and one earned run. He had a no-hitter going into the fourth inning when he gave up his first hit. He was in and out of the zone, kept people off pace and had a lot of swings and misses with his pitches.”
Acker also helped himself out at the plate going 2 for 3 with an RBI and three runs scored from the No. 8 hole in the batting order.
Moore said good defense usually follows whenever there’s a chance at a no-hitter and that proved true once again.
“Our defense was great, we had no errors and everybody filled their roles,” Moore said. “Landon Seibel made some great plays at third base. Kole was forcing them to hit into a lot of short choppers to the third-base side of the field and Landon made a bunch of good plays, including one that kept the no-hitter going a little longer.”
Seibel also came through in the cleanup role in the lineup.
“Landon was 2 for 3, with two runs and an RBI,” Moore said.
Seibel, who played at Anoka Ramsey College in Minnesota in 2021-22, plans to transfer to Skagit Valley. He’ll be reunited there with his former Port Angeles and current Wilder Senior teammate Wyatt Hall.
Hall played shortstop only in his first game back with Wilder Senior.
“Wyatt Hall is rehabbing from stomach surgery, so we [had a designated hitter hit for him],” Moore said.”It was great to have him back on the field for us, but swinging a bat is about the worst thing you can do when recovering, so he’s going to take it slow.”
Center fielder Logan Olson also went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run in the win.
Tournament play continues at 10 a.m. today with games scheduled for every three hours, including an area doubleheader with Wilder Junior taking on Kitsap Warriors at 4 p.m. and Wilder Senior facing NW Sting at 7 p.m.
Sunday’s play begins at 9 a.m. with the title game set for 7 p.m.
Admission is $10.
“We’re having a great time,” Moore said while staffing the concession stand Friday. “We made it a wood-bat tournament with Tsnumani Bat Co. of Sequim sponsoring and they are here with bats to try out.”
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Wilder Senior pitcher Kole Acker throws in the first inning against WBC Colts Red on Thursday evening at Port Angeles Civic Field.
Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News Wilder Senior’s Cole Johnson cruises into second on a steal in the third inning on Thursday as WBC Colts Red second baseman Zac Durben watches for the ball from home plate at Port Angeles Civic Field.
