CENTRALIA — After six weeks, Wilder Junior’s remarkable unbeaten streak was finally snapped Saturday.
Wilder Junior kept the streak going Saturday morning thanks to a Hunter Tennell triple in the bottom of the seventh inning, which forced a 7-7 tie with the Expos in a tournament game in Centralia. In an afternoon game, however, it was the Premier 18U team that came from behind, rallying with eight runs in the sixth and seventh innings to nip Wilder Junior 9-8.
The loss snapped Wilder Junior’s 20-game unbeaten streak dating all the way back to June 8. The team went 18-0-2 during that stretch, improving its record from 5-4 to 23-4-2.
Wilder Junior also lost 7-3 to the Wow Factor NW team Sunday, victimized by a big four-run third inning. After the third, the juniors didn’t give up any runs, but couldn’t rally back. They had the bases loaded in the sixth inning with just one out, but couldn’t push across a run, and two doubles plays ended the fifth and seventh innings.
In Sunday’s loss, Zach DeBray was 2-for-4, while Bryce Deleon was 1-for-3 with two RBIs.
On the mound, DeBray pitched the final two innings, allowing no hits and no runs.
Saturday’s Games
Wilder Junior looked to be in good shape against Premier, up 8-1 entering the sixth, but Premier fought back with a five-run sixth and a three-run seventh.
Tennell went 2-4 with two RBIs, while Deleon was 2-for-4 with three RBIs. DeBray had a hit, an RBI and two runs scored, while Ian Smithson scored two runs, stole two bases and drove in one run.
On the mound, Deleon started, going six innings and allowing 10 hits and five earned runs. He struck out three.
In the early game, it was Wilder’s time for a comeback.
The Expos went into the bottom of the seventh up 7-4, but Tennell hit a two-run triple to make it 7-6, then came in to score on a wild pitch to tie the game and keep the juniors’ unbeaten streak alive.
Tennell finished with three RBIs. Smithson had a hit, two stolen bases and two runs scored, while Ethan Fisher had a hit, two stolen bases, a run scored and an RBI.
Tennell pitched three innings, allowing six hits and three earned runs while striking out two. Carston Seibel pitched four innings, allowing three hits and three earned runs. He struck out three.
Wilder Junior (23-6-2) next begins play at the AA state American Legion tournament in Spokane on Saturday.
Wow Factor NW 7, Wilder Jr. 3
WJr. 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 — 3 4 0
Wow 1 2 4 0 0 0 x — 7 9 0
Pitching
WJr. — Swenson 2 IP, 4 H, 3 ER; Doyle 2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER; DeBray 2 IP.
Hitting
WJr. — DeBray 2-4; Deleon 1-3, 2 RBI.
Premier 18U 9, Wilder Jr. 8
Prem. 0 0 0 1 0 5 3 — 9 12 4
WJr. 0 5 0 3 0 0 0 — 8 8 2
Pitching
WJr. — Deleon 6 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 3 K; Swenson 0.1 IP, H; Ward 0.2 IP, H, 3 ER, K.
Hitting
WJr. — Delon 2-4, 3 RBI; Tennell 2-4, 2 RBI; DeBray 1-1, 2 R, RBI; Brenkman 1-2, R; Smithson 0-1, 2 R, RBI, 2 SB.
Wilder Jr. 7, Expos 7
Expos 0 0 0 3 0 3 1 — 7 9 1
WJr. 0 1 3 0 0 0 3 — 7 6 2
Hitting
WJr. — Tennell 1-3, 3B, R, 3 RBI; Smithson 1-1, 2 R, 2 SB; Deleon 1-3, R; Fisher 1-3, R, RBI, 2 SB; DeBray 1-2, 2 R.
Pitching
WJr. — Tennell 3 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 K; Seibel 4 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 3 K.
