MERIDIAN, IDAHO — Port Angeles split a pair of games on opening day of the 2019 Pacific Northwest Cal Ripken 12 70’ Regional Tournament on Thursday.
The youth baseball team was in fine form at the plate and in the field in a 9-3 win over Puyallup.
But tournament hosts Meridian, Idaho proved to be far from hospitable, taking advantage of five first-inning errors to plate 13 runs on the way to a 16-0 3-inning shutout.
Port Angeles (1-1) takes on Kennewick at 8:30 a.m. today and wraps American Division pool play with a game against Bozeman, Mont. at 4 p.m. today.
If Port Angeles can finish in the top two in the four-team division it will advance to the tournament semifinals on Saturday morning.
Against Puyallup, Kaleb Mullen brought home the game’s first run on an RBI double in the first inning and capped the regional victory with a two-run home run in the final frame as the area youth baseball team pounded out 12 hits in the six-inning game.
Port Angeles, the visiting team in this contest between the North Washington Cal Ripken State Champions and the South Washington Cal Ripken State Champs, plated three runs right out of the gate to open the game.
“Puyallup’s demeanor changed after that first inning,” coach JR Flores said. “The boys took the wind out of their sales early.”
Alex Angevine and Cole Johnson had multi-hit games for Port Angeles with each recording doubles.
Luke Flodstrom scored twice, Derek Stadmeyer had an RBI single and Jordan Shumway doubled and scored for Port Angeles.
Flores said the squad also made some big defensive plays in the field, recording two double plays.
“We had a 6-4-3 double play with Alex Angevine at short, Derek Stadmeyer at second and Cole Johnson at firstbase,” Flores said.
A more unusual double play came when center fielder Phoenix Flores tracked down a ball in the gap and threw to second base to catch the advancing baserunner.
Against Meridian, Port Angeles committed five first-inning errors and nine total errors as 14 of Meridian’s 16 runs were unearned.
“The kids were flat right away,” Flores said. “It’s warm over here and the heat hurt us. But we’ve been in this position before and the kids have learned from it.”
Stadmeyer and Shumway had the lone hits for Port Angeles.
Port Angeles 9, Puyallup 3
PA 3 0 0 2 2 2 — 9 12 2
Puy. 0 0 0 2 0 1 — 3 5 4
WP: Colton Romero
Pitching
Port Angeles — Romero 4.1IP, 2H, 2ER, 6BB, 5K; Gooding 1.1IP, 3H, R; Flores 0.1IP, BB.
Hitting
Port Angeles — Mullen 2-3, 2B, HR, 2R, 3RBI; Angevine 2-4, 2SB, R, RBI; Johnson 2-4, 2B, R; Stadmeyer 1-4, RBI; Flodstrom 1-2, SB, 2R; Shumway 1-2, 2B, R; Flores 0-2, BB, RBI
Meridian, Idaho 16, Port Angeles 0
Mer.13 0 3 — 16 8 3
PA 0 0 0— 0 2 9
LP: Mullen
Pitching
Port Angeles — Mullen 0.2IP, 2H, 8R, ER, BB; Angevine 1.1IP, 5H, 8R, ER, BB; Alton IP, H, BB.
Hitting
Port Angeles — Stadmeyer 1-2; Shumway 1-2.
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Compiled from team reports. Email scores to sports@peninsuladailynews.com or phone 360-417-3525.
